Iran was swept up in a wave of ‘Cristiano Ronaldo fever’ as passionate fans chased down the Al-Nassr football team’s bus and crowded around the club’s hotel upon the superstar’s arrival.
Enthusiastic crowds thronged the streets and mobbed the bus in hopes of catching a glimpse of the 38-year-old before Tuesday’s Asian Champions League match against Persepolis.
This demonstrates that Ronaldo’s popularity has continued to soar across Asia following his groundbreaking move to Saudi Arabia in January of this year.
Football Fever in Iran
The excitement reached new heights with the arrival of other notable football figures, including Neymar Jr., Karim Benzema, and Aymeric Laporte, during the summer transfer window. Furthermore, in addition to Ronaldo, Sadio Mane also joined his club.
Notably, several former Liverpool teammates of Mane, such as Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, and Jordan Henderson, have also made the switch to Saudi Arabia.
Al-Nassr shared a video on social media platforms, including Twitter, showing fans rushing to catch a glimpse of the team bus. Numerous fans raised their phones eagerly, hoping to capture snapshots of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner through the bus’s windows, as reported by AP News.
At present, Ronaldo is the most prominent foreign sports attraction in Iran, where football holds a central place in the hearts of its people.
Meanwhile in Tehran 🎥
Don’t miss all AlNassr exclusive content in Tehran 🤩
Via AlNassr's official Snapchat 🤳https://t.co/Vgc7yqzln2 pic.twitter.com/UUJ0kDRjbA— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) September 18, 2023
Ronaldo’s Arrival at Espinas Palace
In other footage circulated on social media, Ronaldo could be seen smiling as he was escorted to his room at the Espinas Palace Tehran, accompanied by security guards, with the rest of the Al-Nassr squad and staff following suit.
An entire floor has been designated for the Knights of Najd, including a dedicated suite for the legendary Real Madrid star. Additionally, Ronaldo received a traditional Persian rug as a welcoming gift shortly after arriving at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport, and his delight was unmistakable.
Anyone who thinks timing of Cristiano Ronaldo’s visit to Iran is coincidental, doesn’t understand the nature of totalitarian regimes.
✈️ Plane carrying American hostages left Iran & is landing in Doha.
✈️ 6 billion handed over to Iran
✈️ Raisi arrives in NYC #UNGA pic.twitter.com/QPsm2qb1OU
— Samira Mohyeddin سمیرا (@SMohyeddin) September 18, 2023
Another expression of hospitality for the Al-Nassr contingent involves special SIM cards that provide unrestricted internet access during their stay, a privilege not accessible to Iranian citizens due to the extensive censorship of thousands of websites, global messaging services, and social media platforms.
أجواء الفندق لا تهدأ 🤯🤯🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/qiu6oQgqT6
— Ali (@11l_p) September 18, 2023
