Iranian soccer fans flock to Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel after he arrives in Tehran with Saudi team

2024-12-25 12:13:00 source:lotradecoin trends category:Invest

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Hundreds of soccer 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.

More:Invest

Recommend

Drew Barrymore has been warned to 'back off' her guests after 'touchy' interviews

Drew Barrymore hopes people will become "more comfortable with physical touch" after sparking mixed

Full transcript of Face the Nation, July 23, 2023

On this "Face the Nation" broadcast, moderated by Margaret Brennan: Phoenix Mayor Kate GallegoU.S. R

New Mexico Wants it ‘Both Ways,’ Insisting on Environmental Regulations While Benefiting from Oil and Gas

Gaslit: Last in a four-part series by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona Stat