Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo currently plays for Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr football club, following his exit from Manchester United.
Ronaldo’s move to the Saudi club came as a shock to many, however, seven out of ten UAE and KSA residents think this move would “help the kingdom win hosting rights for the 2030 FIFA World Cup,” according to a new report by YouGov.
Saudi 2030 World Cup bid
The data was collected online among 2006 adult respondents in UAE and KSA by YouGov’s Omnibus in January 2023 using YouGov’s panel of over 20 million people worldwide.
The data showed that Saudi residents feel this slightly more strongly than UAE residents, with 75 percent and 71 percent, respectively.
In addition to this, residents in KSA and UAE also said that Ronaldo’s move will have a “more positive than negative impact” on the club’s future and Saudi football.
“Seven in ten residents think this move will enhance the perception of Saudi Arabia as a country and draw favourable global attention towards it,” the report said.
A large majority in both UAE and KSA also said that Ronaldo’s Saudi move will encourage more European league players to follow. 82 percent of Saudi residents showed more optimism compared to 73 percent of UAE residents.
Follow us on
