How did Cristiano save the Al-Nassr dressing room? An eyewitness reveals the behind-the-scenes details | Goal.com
The whole world was talking about Cristiano Ronaldo's astronomical salary when he joined Saudi side Al-Nassr. Then a former teammate revealed the other side of the Portuguese legend: a decisive humanitarian gesture that saved the team's players from a suffocating financial crisis, confirming why the Madeira rocket remains a leader on and off the pitch.
Spanish defender Álvaro González, the former Espanyol and Villarreal star who partnered Ronaldo in his first season at Al-Nassr, has lifted the lid on the astonishing behind-the-scenes details that accompanied the Portuguese's arrival in Riyadh in January 2023 from Manchester United.
Already at the club owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund before Ronaldo signed, González recounted the suffering he and his teammates endured during that period. It's a story that completely contradicts the image of extravagant Saudi wealth.
Speaking to Spanish radio station "Cadena Cope", the Spanish defender made shocking claims: "I spent six months in Saudi Arabia without a salary, my first six months there, at the best club in the country alongside Al-Hilal".
He continued: "You could find 70,000 fans at a single match. I was not worried because I had been playing football for 14 years and had saved some money, but I went there to earn money".
That difficult situation dragged on until Ronaldo arrived. He learned of the crisis immediately and intervened in a way he was not obliged to, one that reflected his leadership.
According to González, the crisis was resolved thanks to a firm stance Ronaldo took towards the club's management and those responsible for financing the deal.
He said: "Ronaldo found out about the matter. The government was going to pay him his salary, which is not small as you know, so he said that with the first salary, the first thing they should do is pay the players' salaries".
González then revealed the exact words of the Portuguese star: "Some of us had not been paid, not all of us, so Cristiano said, literally: (Until these people get their salaries, I will not receive anything). He was not obliged to do that, but Cristiano did it".
The testimony reveals an unknown side to Ronaldo's historic move to the Saudi league. This wasn't merely a sporting deal. By his teammate's account, it became a turning point that saved the stability of an entire dressing room, at a time when all eyes were fixed on the millions heading to the Portuguese alone.
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