Friday, July 11, 2025
spot_img

Iranian fans flock to Ronaldo’s hotel

Date:

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

TEHRAN, Sep 18: Hundreds of football fans stormed into a hotel in Tehran on Monday, hoping for a glimpse of star player Cristiano Ronaldo after he arrived with his Saudi teammates ahead of a game.
Chanting “Ronaldo, Ronaldo,” the fans pushed past police, filling the corridors and public spaces of the Espians Palace Hotel.
Ronaldo arrived on his first visit to Iran with the Saudi football club Al Nassr, which is set to play Iran’s Persepolis in Tehran on Sept. 19. The return game will be played in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Nov. 27.
Ronaldo was the first of several big-name players to accept lavish contracts to play for Saudi teams. The oil-rich kingdom is spending billions of dollars to try to transform itself into a sports and entertainment powerhouse.
The Asian Champions League games are made possible by the restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia following an agreement brokered by China earlier this year. The longtime rivals had severed ties in 2016 after an angry crowd stormed Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran to protest Saudi Arabia’s execution of a popular Shiite cleric.
The 2015 Asian Champions League edition was the last time Saudi and Iranian teams faced each other on home turf in the group stage or knockout rounds. (PTI)

spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

HC directs complainant to submit proof of illegalities

Weighbridge anomalies in M’laya By Our Reporter SHILLONG, July 10: The High Court of Meghalaya has directed Tennydard M Marak,...

Rules for criminal justice reforms gets Cabinet nod

Govt scraps personal interviews for Group D posts By Our Reporter SHILLONG, July 10: The Meghalaya Cabinet on Thursday approved...

FM inaugurates city’s first modern shopping mall

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, July 10: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday inaugurated Shillong’s first modern shopping mall...

Use internship scheme to gain skills, exposure: Sitharaman to state’s youth

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, July 10: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began her four-day official visit to Meghalaya on...