Royalty in Riyadh: Piers Morgan reveals how Ronaldo, Georgina are 'loving' life since his Al-Nassr move
Al-Nassr's new star Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez are loving life in Saudi Arabia, with the pair seen as royalty in Riyadh.
FollowLegendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez are 'loving' life in Riyadh, where they are reportedly seen as the country's latest royal couple. The 37-year-old entered the nation last month after agreeing to an astounding 175 million pounds per year contract with Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr.
The Portuguese star is 'loving' life in the Middle East, according to Piers Morgan, quoted by the British magazine Tatler, which also describes Ronaldo's opulent lifestyle in Saudi Arabia.
The stunning tell-all interview caused Ronaldo's tumultuous departure from Manchester United in November that Morgan moderated. The journalist has refuted the accusations made by Sky Sports commentator Jamie Carragher that Ronaldo's career has "ended" due to the interview and his departure to Saudi Arabia.
Piers Morgan told Tatler: "Thanks to the fall-out from our interview, Ronaldo signed the biggest transfer deal in football history and is now the world's highest-paid athlete, at the age of 37."
"Ronaldo is also doing what he's done throughout his career, and which for me gives him the edge over Messi, and that challenges himself in a new country, and new league, at a time when football in the Middle East is really taking off, as we saw at the Qatar World Cup where Morocco reached the semi-finals and Saudi Arabia beat the eventual winners, Messi's Argentina," Morgan added.
"Ideally, I think Ronaldo would have preferred to play for another top club in the Champions League for a year or two, but Al Nassr made him a staggering offer. I think the fresh challenge of raising the profile of football in a new region of the world, at the twilight of his incredible career, really appealed to him," Morgan told Tatler.
When asked if Ronaldo was happy, Morgan replied, "Definitely. I've swapped a few texts with him and he's absolutely loving it, on and off the pitch."
Given that Ronaldo has lived most of his life in Europe and that the Saudi Pro League is not at the same level that he played there during his fantastic career, moving to Saudi Arabia was a significant step for him.
However, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has adapted well and was given a hero welcome by 25,000 spectators at Mrsool Park, where he will play football with Al-Nassr.
Since relocating to Riyadh, Tatler claims that Ronaldo, his girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, and their five kids — Cristiano Jr., Eva, Matteo, Alana Martina, and Bella Esmerelda — have become "'talk of the city."
They live a lavish lifestyle in 17 rooms at The Four Seasons hotel in the 267-meter-tall Kingdom Centre alongside Ronaldo's entourage. The building is reported to cost over 250,000 pounds a month.
Ronaldo family reportedly resides in the two-floor Kingdom Suite, which features gold and marble accents throughout the living room, private office, dining room, and media area. The structure also houses premium retailers like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, providing a stunning perspective over Riyadh.
In the meantime, Saudi Arabia's social scene has embraced Georgina Rodriguez. Reports claim that coverage of her social debut at the Joy Awards greatly surpassed that of well-known actress Sofia Vergara, who had won "Person of the Year."
According to Tatler, Georgina has a sizable following in Saudi Arabia; one person even referred to her as an "icon" before she arrived.
Ronaldo has also gotten acclimated to socialising after accompanying Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal, the minister of sports, to Dariyah Nights, a festival featuring shopping, art, and music. Although he is reportedly enjoying his life on and off the field, the former Real Madrid star has had a sluggish start.
The Portuguese talisman drew a second blank for Al-Nassr as he struggled to make an impact during their 3-1 Super Cup semi-final defeat by Al-Ittihad - a team that has been linked with his great rival Lionel Messi.
