Asalamualekum — Ronaldo begins speech with Muslim greeting

Cristiano Ronaldo has fully embraced life in Saudi Arabia—its football, culture, and national traditions. While it remains unclear whether he has adopted the country’s religion, he has not hesitated to use expressions rooted in the Islamic faith. 

Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January 2023 and has been both a football and cultural ambassador for the Gulf country. 

On the football side, there has been no louder or more impactful promoter of the Saudi Pro League, with the Portuguese regularly insisting that the division would not be out of place among Europe's top five leagues, specifying that it was more competitive than Ligue 1.

Culturally, he preaches Saudi tourism, celebrates national holidays, and makes himself available for major events. On one such event recently, Ronaldo was tasked to speak, and he began saying “Aslamalekum”, the Islamic greeting in Arabic, which means “Peace be unto you.”

That is not the first time he has used an Islamic term in public, underscoring how much he had adapted to life in Saudi Arabia. Hence, it is no surprise that he was handed a contract which effectively made him the first football billionaire. 

As Pulse Sports reported, his current net worth now sits at $1.4 billion, a staggering total, boosted by his recent mammoth contract renewal at Al Nassr.