Table of Contents
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first season in Saudi Arabia is coming to an end with mixed results.
Al Nassr FC, the soccer team Ronaldo plays on, was eliminated from the Saudi Cup and will finish in second place in the Saudi Professional League.
However, they did qualify for the Asian Champions League.
Ronaldo has played really well, scoring 14 goals in 16 games.
His fame has also brought a lot of attention to Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Professional League.
Al Nassr has also become one of the most talked-about clubs in the world. You can see kids in other countries wearing Al Nassr Ronaldo jerseys.
The club’s Instagram followers have skyrocketed, and TV rights for Ronaldo’s games have been a commercial success. 36 different international broadcasters have shown some Saudi Professional League games in other countries.
There have been reports that Ronaldo is unhappy in Saudi Arabia and has had difficulty adapting to the culture and language. However, he has been seen enjoying life in the country with his family and has even been photographed wearing traditional Saudi clothing.
Ronaldo’s lifestyle has become an inspiration for young Saudis to become healthier and more active.
Saudi football officials are confident that Ronaldo’s influence will motivate the next generation of boys and girls to play soccer and improve the sport in the country.
Vocabulary
- Season – a time period or time of year when a sport is played;
- Come to an end – When something finishes or reaches its completion
- Mixed results – When there are both positive and negative outcomes/results or outcomes/results that are not clear
- Eliminate – to remove, take away, or get rid of something or someone; to defeat someone so that they cannot continue in a competition
- Qualify – Meeting the requirements or standards to be eligible or allowed to participate in something; in sports, to win enough points to go to the next round of a tournament
- Fame – Being well-known or recognized by many people for a particular reason, like being a famous actor or singer; popularity; greatness
- Attention – notice; thought; interest; awareness; focus
- Talked-about – When something or someone is frequently discussed or mentioned by many people; popular
- Club – a soccer team
- Jersey – a shirt for sports teams
- Skyrocket – to increase quickly and a lot
- TV rights – The permission or legal ownership to broadcast or show television programs or events
- Rights – the ownership of something; the control or authorization over something;
- Commercial – business; related to making money by buying and selling things
- Broadcaster – a TV or radio station; a company that puts programs/shows on TV or radio
- Report – a written description of an event; story; article; the results of a study or project
- Adapt – to change or modify something to suit/fit a new situation or purpose; to get used to
- Traditional – usual; normal; established; part of tradition or culture; old-fashioned
- Lifestyle – The way a person or group of people live, including their habits, behaviors, and choices
- Inspiration – Something or someone that motivates or influences others to create or achieve something meaningful
- Official – a person who works for the government or a government company and has power or authority; officer; executive
- Confident – sure; certain; optimistic; hopeful; convinced
- Influence – The power or ability to affect the opinions, behaviors, or actions of others; to have an effect on someone
- Motivate – To inspire or encourage someone to take action or pursue a goal; to give someone a reason or push them to do something
- Generation – a group of people born and living around the same time;
- Improve – to make something better
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- How do you think Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance in his first season in Saudi Arabia compares to his previous seasons in other leagues?
- Will Ronaldo’s time in Saudi Arabia have a long-term impact on soccer development in the country? Why or why not?
- What difficulties do you think Ronaldo faced in adjusting to Saudi Arabia’s culture and language?
- How important is it for sports stars like Ronaldo to be role models for young people? Why?
Original Story
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