The football world came to a halt as Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed his next destination following his humiliating departure from Manchester United. The Portuguese superstar has picked Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr as his future destination, signing a hefty contract worth 200 million euros per year. This makes him the highest-paid footballer in history.
The transfer is a significant boost for Asian football, and Indian fans of Cristiano Ronaldo can celebrate because there is a chance that the legend could visit India with his new club as well.
With his move to Al-Nassr, Ronaldo will now compete in the AFC Champions League, Asia's main continental competition and the Asian equivalent of the UEFA Champions League. Saudi Arabia has three group stage places and one play-off round slot in the AFC Champions League for 2023-24.
The top spot in Saudi Arabia has already been taken by Al-Hilal, the Saudi Pro League champions in 2021-22. The other two berths are reserved for the SPL champions in 2022-23 and the domestic cup champions in 2022-23. Al Fayha has already qualified for the play-off round as the 2022-23 Kings Cup champions.
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As a result, if Al-Nassr wins either the league or the domestic cup, they will get direct entry into the AFC Champions League. Since they belong to the same West Zone of the AFC, Al-Nassr can now play an Indian club in the group stage if they are drawn in the same group. As a result, Cristiano Ronaldo will go to India for one of the two legs in the group stage to face the ISL team.
India holds a straight group stage spot in the AFC Champions League 2023-24, which will be decided in a playoff between the champions of the ISL League Winners' Shield in 2021-22 and 2022-23. The old title has already been won by Jamshedpur FC, who got direct entry into the playoff.
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