Cristiano Ronaldo makes a powerful gesture after the match: "I belong to Saudi Arabia"

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 981st goal of his career on Monday, in the Asian Champions League match against Uzbek side Neftchi Fergana. This means that he is 19 goals away from reaching the coveted 1,000-goal mark. In short, the aftermath of the clash with Jorge Jesus in Portugal, where disciplinary proceedings have been opened that, after the suspension, could lead to a months-long ban from the national team, does not seem to have affected either the motivation or the execution instinct of the immortal striker. 

For the occasion, Ronaldo had left behind his copper-colored hair look, returning to his classic black color. However, Ronaldo also drew attention for what he did after the match: a very strong gesture of support for Saudi Arabia, at a moment of great geopolitical tensions in the region, following the recent attack by Houthi rebels, which caused casualties and injuries at Riyadh airport.

Cristiano Ronaldo joins Saudi Arabia's cause

Before the match, held at the Al Nassr stadium in the capital, Ronaldo was filmed kissing the Saudi emblem on his shirt, with the palm tree and crossed swords, the country's national symbol. Then, after the final whistle, he asked the fans for a scarf with the Saudi flag and put it on his shoulder during the victory celebrations. Together with Mané, he encouraged the fans with the so-called "viking clap", a choreography that combines chants and applause in unison, at a rhythm that gradually accelerates. Everything was published on the club's social networks, along with a sentence from the 41-year-old striker: "I am Portuguese, but I belong to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia".

The match was postponed for a few minutes precisely because of a security alert issued by the Saudi Civil Defense. The situation is truly dramatic for the entire region. In the previous days, the Houthis, the Yemeni rebels supported by Iran, had intensified their attacks with missiles and drones on Riyadh, especially on King Khalid International Airport. Last Saturday's massacre, which has so far caused 13 deaths and more than 300 injuries, is the deadliest attack on Saudi territory in more than a decade.

The event is part of the escalation of the conflict in Yemen and the wider tensions in the region. Therefore, Ronaldo's gesture must be seen in this context and takes on a powerful meaning, as a sign of closeness and solidarity with the country that has hosted him for three years and that is experiencing a climate of alarm and vulnerability. It is not a question of an articulated political statement, but of a clear and undeniable visual signal. And if the official Al Nassr account attributes this sentence to him, it is because, apparently, Cristiano has given his consent for it to be used, putting his image at the service of support for the Saudi cause.