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Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo is struggling to adapt to life in Saudi Arabia and there are reportedly two main reasons for that.
According to French media outlet RMC Sport, the Portuguese is unnhappy with the language barrier. He also apparently finds the lifestyle there too different from that in Europe.
Following his acrimonious split from Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Riyadh outfit in December last year for a lucrative deal. Since then he's scored 12 goals for the side in 13 league appearances, but the Portuguese apparently isn't content with his life off the pitch.
Ronaldo had never played outside Europe before, so moving to the Middle East was naturally a big change of scene in his career. Reports now suggest that he's not impressed with the culture there, as it's "very different" from back home.
Also, he's not familiar to Arabic, the official language in Saudi Arabia. Ronaldo can speak in English, Spanish and Portuguese, but is yet to come to grips with Arabic.
RMC Sport reported (via RTL):
"The player is struggling to acclimatize to his new country due in particular to the language barrier and a culture very different from Europe."
Saudi Arabia is a highly conservative country that follows strict Islamic laws. People there do not enjoy the same liberties there as they would in Europe, which could be the reason behind Cristiano Ronaldo's frustrations.
He recently faced calls for deportation over an obscene gesture he made towards the fans. The Portuguese grabbed his manhood as he walked towards the tunnel, an act that earned criticism from several quarters.
Ronaldo would've also been refused to stay with his partner Georgina Rodriguez as unmarried couples are barred from living under the same roof. However, Saudi Arabia bent the law for him and the pair currently live in a luxurious villa in the capital with high-level security and access to restaurants, gym and shops.
Cristiano Ronaldo's issues could hamper Leo Messi's transfer to Saudi's Al-Hilal
Cristiano Ronaldo's struggles with the language barrier and culture in Saudi Arabia could also dissuade Lionel Messi from moving to the country.
The Argentine is linked with a move to Al-Hilal this summer as he's almost confirmed to leave PSG. But his partner, Antonella Roccuzzo, reportedly has reservations about moving to Riyadh.
She isn't sure of how their kids, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, would settle in the Middle East, having visited Saudi recently on a family trip.
Al-Hilal are reportedly offering Messi a whopping €400 million per year, twice of what Ronaldo is currently earning at Al-Nassr. If he were to indeed sign a contract with the side, it would revive Messi's age-old rivalry with Ronaldo.
