Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, along with the Al Nassr team, has arrived in the United Arab Emirates to participate in Tuesday's AFC Champions League match against Al Ain club.
The 41-year-old former player for Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus previously stated in August that this was likely his last season in football. Despite achieving almost everything in his club career, including five UEFA Champions League titles, he has yet to win the AFC Champions League, holding five Ballon d'Or awards.
The Al Nassr team is starting a new continental tournament under the guidance of a new coach—Ange Postecoglou, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager who was dismissed by the club in June 2025, despite leading the team to glory in the Europa League.
In addition to Ronaldo, the Riyadh-based squad includes international attacking players such as Kingsley Coman, Sadio Mané, and João Félix, a teammate from the Portuguese national team. In the Saudi Pro League, Al Nassr is in second place after six matches, trailing Al Hilal only on goal difference.
Ronaldo, the captain, is in good form, having scored three goals in five league matches. A serious obstacle to Ronaldo's first AFC Champions League victory is Al Hilal, managed by Simone Inzaghi.
The format of the AFC Champions League strongly favors teams from Saudi Arabia, which invests huge sums in football and will host the 2034 World Cup. Since the 2024–2025 season, the tournament has been renamed Champions League Elite, and the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final are held at a centralized venue in Saudi Arabia.
Al Ahli took advantage of home-field advantage, winning the title in 2025 and 2026. In the April final, Al Ahli defeated Machida Zelvia from Japan 1-0 in extra time at their home ground in Jeddah, with Ivan Toney from England.
This year, Al Nassr, Al Ahli, Al Hilal, as well as Al Ittihad and Al Qadsia will participate in the competition, ensuring five Saudi teams among the 32 participants. As in previous years, the tournament is divided into two leagues—East and West—where each team will play four home and four away matches.
The greatest threat to Saudi dominance is likely posed by Japanese teams—representatives of Asia's strongest football nation who have reached the final in each of the last four editions. Five teams from the J. League are also participating, including reigning champions Kashima Antlers. Former Kashima player Yasushi Endo admitted that it will be difficult for Saudi teams to compete.
He noted: