One of the finest footballers of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo, could embark upon a new adventure in Saudi Arabia. The Portuguese footballer, who is playing for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr at present, is reportedly being lined up for an appearance at WWE's Crown Jewel event in the country. WWE is said to be planning a move to push the popularity of Crown Jewel by inviting Ronaldo as a big-name guest at the event. The event is set to be held in Saudi Arabia in November.
Ronaldo's arrival has already taken Saudi Arabia to new heights in the sporting spectrum. Since his reported USD 215 million a season in December 2022, Ronaldo has helped Al-Nassr make headlines in the football ecosystem. Not just on the field, Ronaldo's arrival has had a ripple effect on Saudi football off it too.
Be it viewership, fan interest, social media activities, Saudi football has been on the rise since Ronaldo's arrival. Now, WWE is also looking to cash-in on the opportunity and push the craze of their events to new heights in the region.
As per a report in Spanish publication AS, WWE's new owners, Endeavor, are keen to boost Crown Jewel's profile and potential revenue by making Ronaldo a part of the event. But, they also have a plan to make the deal a lucrative one for Ronaldo.
In exchange for his appearance, WWE could reportedly look to pay him a large appearance fee.
WWE has held the Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia four times already, with the first-ever instance being in 2018 and the most recent being the 2023 event, titled the Night of Champions.
Ronaldo received a rapturous welcome from hundreds of Iranian fans when Al Nassr reached Tehran, Iran for a Group E match of the AFC Champions League. There's no doubt that Ronaldo enjoys a great fan following, no matter where he goes.