In Tehran on Monday, large crowds of Iranian football fans enthusiastically greet Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi team as they arrived for the first home-and-away club match after the two nations’ diplomatic ties were restore.
Iranians give Ronaldo welcome in Tehran: As the five-time world player of the year from Portugal and his Al Nassr colleagues arrived for Tuesday’s Asian Champions League match against Iran’s top club Persepolis, supporters began to sing his name.
The game will be the first since Tehran and Riyadh came to an agreement that was announced in March and was mediated by China.
Since the 2016 severance of ties between Shiite-majority Iran and Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia, teams from both nations had only ever competed on neutral grounds.
Excitement erupted in Tehran as spectators eagerly awaited a glimpse of Ronaldo, 38, as he and his teammates departed Iran’s Imam Khomeini airport.
In his press conference, Al Nassr manager Luis Castro commented, “It was a very good feeling, and we all enjoyed it.”
We witnessed a number of situations, many of which had Iranian supporters holding Al Nassr team shirts.
As Ronaldo rode the team van to a hotel in Tehran, throngs of jubilant spectators lined the streets.
Others even poured into the hotel lobby while yelling “Ronaldo, Ronaldo!” In the main streets of the Iranian city, posters of the former Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus star with “Welcome” printed in Arabic, English, and Farsi appeared.
“Persepolis vs. Al Nassr: A Clash of Titans Behind Closed Doors”
Yahya Golmohammadi, the manager of Persepolis, said he was happy to host the “great team” of Al Nassr but added that his team was up for the challenge of playing the Saudi club.
“I think it will be a beautiful game and will have a lot of excitement,” said Navid Borhanifar, a supporter of Ronaldo, who is 28 years old. “I find it to be very exciting.”
Unfortunately, none of the supporters will be allow to attend the game, which will take place at the enormous Azadi Stadium with a capacity of 90,000.
“The Asian Football Confederation has decreed that the game must be play behind closed doors as retaliation for a contentious online statement made by Persepolis prior to a game against an Indian team in 2021.”
The lack of fans has been noted by both managers.
“An empty stadium does not give the taste of real football,” Castro claimed.
Golmohammadi expressed his sadness that no spectators were there for this outstanding game.
With “unlimited internet”
“Varzesh 3 reports that an ‘elite unit’ that specializes in safeguarding presidential visits is now protecting Ronaldo and his teammates.”
“The unit will be responsible for preventing any contact between fans and players of the Saudi team,” it was note.
After the widespread protests triggered by Mahsa Amini’s death in detention last year, Iran has imposed strict restrictions, including those on WhatsApp and Instagram.
A 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman named Amini was arrested for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s dress code for women.
The Saudi team should be provided SIM cards with unrestricted internet access, according to a suggestion made last week by Persepolis’ general manager Reza Darvish.
He stated, “I have spoken to the CEO of Irancell (a regional service provider and sponsor of Persepolis) and requested SIM cards for… players and those who accompany them with unlimited internet.”
Over 604 million people follow Ronaldo on Instagram.
This week marks the formal start of the 2023–2024 Asian Champions League, which will centre on Saudi Arabia. Along with Ronaldo, the country has attracted a number of famous athletes, including Karim Benzema, Neymar, and Sadio Mane.
Persepolis, one of the most successful clubs in Iran and the area, made it to the Asian Champions League finals in 2018 and 2020, while Al Nassr took home the trophy in 1995.
However, In the upcoming weeks, there will be other games between the two nations. On October 2, Saudi club Al Ittihad will play Iran’s Sepahan, while on October 3, Saudi club Al Hilal will play Iran’s Nassaji Mazandaran.