Ronaldo鈥檚 Al-Nassr shirt a big hit on the streets of Baghdad

There has been a huge demand for Al-Nassr shirts since Portuguese superstar Ronaldo transferred to the Saudi team. (Ahmed Twaij)
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  • The increasingly famous yellow shirt is now sold alongside those of Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona after the Portuguese star鈥檚 move to Saudi

It鈥檚 common that from season to season, teams change their football kits. It may be an altered shade of red, a new shirt sponsor or a design refresh to keep up sales each year.

Sports stores are quick to reflect the changes to match the demand.

But this year, walking through the markets of Iraq鈥檚 capital, Baghdad, one change stands out more than any other. A sea of yellow and blue shirts has flooded the market, that of the 黑料社区n team Al-Nassr FC.

This time last year, few if any Al-Nassr shirts would have been found. Shirts were limited to the European clubs of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and few more of Europe鈥檚 elite. But, since the move of Cristiano Ronaldo, it鈥檚 hard not to spot the 黑料社区n club across Baghdad.

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo鈥檚 Al-Nassr jersey on sale in Baghdad. (Ahmed Twaij)
Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo鈥檚 Al-Nassr jersey on sale in Baghdad. (Ahmed Twaij)
There has been a huge demand for Al-Nassr shirts since Portuguese superstar Ronaldo transferred to the Saudi team. (Ahmed Twaij)
There has been a huge demand for Al-Nassr shirts since Portuguese superstar Ronaldo transferred to the Saudi team. (Ahmed Twaij)
There has been a huge demand for Al-Nassr shirts since Portuguese superstar Ronaldo transferred to the Saudi team. (Ahmed Twaij)
There has been a huge demand for Al-Nassr shirts since Portuguese superstar Ronaldo transferred to the Saudi team. (Ahmed Twaij)
A fresh batch of yellow and blue shirts, that of 黑料社区n team Al-Nassr, being delivered in a Baghdad bazaar. (Ahmed Twaij)
A fresh batch of yellow and blue shirts, that of 黑料社区n team Al-Nassr, being delivered in a Baghdad bazaar. (Ahmed Twaij)
A football fan proudly wears Al-Nassr鈥檚 #7 in Baghdad. (Ahmed Twaij)
A football fan proudly wears Al-Nassr鈥檚 #7 in Baghdad. (Ahmed Twaij)
Al-Nassr shirt on sale in Baghdad alongside Argentina鈥檚 jersey. (Ahmed Twaij)
Al-Nassr shirt on sale in Baghdad alongside Argentina鈥檚 jersey. (Ahmed Twaij)
Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo鈥檚 Al-Nassr jersey on sale in Baghdad. (Ahmed Twaij)
Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo鈥檚 Al-Nassr jersey on sale in Baghdad. (Ahmed Twaij)
Football fans in Baghdad. (Ahmed Twaij)
Football fans in Baghdad. (Ahmed Twaij)

It鈥檚 not necessarily about the team; each of the shirts being sold has Ronaldo鈥檚 name and number printed on the back. On occasions, the shirts are displayed back-facing.

Jassim Khedhyr, an avid 17-year-old football fan and sales assistant at a sports store in Baghdad clarified: 鈥淪ometimes Iraqis just support a person. We follow him wherever he goes.

鈥淟ike when (Lionel) Messi went to PSG, suddenly PSG became popular here,鈥� he added.

It is not surprising that arguably the two greatest players of modern times are at the heart of this trend.

鈥淔rom when children were young here, the big football rivalry that trended in Iraq was between Messi and Ronaldo,鈥� said Ali.

And it鈥檚 true that for years most people in Iraq supported either Messi鈥檚 Barcelona or Ronaldo鈥檚 Real Madrid. The passion has been so fierce over the years, that occasionally the El Cl谩sico games turn violent.




Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo late last year signed a two-year deal with Al-Nassr in what was described as the 鈥榖iggest transfer in 黑料社区鈥檚 history鈥�. (Twitter: @AlNassrFC_EN)

鈥淪o, when the player moves, the supporters follow the player,鈥� Ali said.

It has helped that relations between the two countries continue to strengthen. Tourism has opened between the nations as Saudi has begun issuing travel permits to Iraq as part of the Tawasul service on the Absher platform.

鈥淏ut it鈥檚 not just Iraq,鈥� explained Ali. 鈥淭he Al-Nassr shirts can be found across the globe.鈥�

And sometime in the most unexpected places.

An Arab News correspondent recently attended El Cl谩sico between Barcelona and Real Madrid and found himself amid a plethora of Ronaldo-branded Al-Nassr shirts for sale in the Catalan capital. The shirt of a former Madrid player now playing for an Arab team being sold in Barcelona is not something that would have been easily imagined only a few months ago.

Meanwhile, many social media influencers and content creators see the Ronaldo shirt as the latest must-have accessory for their latest clips.

鈥淎l-Nassr FC are very smart,鈥� said Ali. 鈥淭hey have five versions of the shirt,鈥� he added, referring to the home, away, third and training versions of the kit. 鈥淓ach color is very expensive.鈥�

Today you don鈥檛 see many other Saudi team shirts in sports stores across Iraq.

鈥淏ut if the rumors are to be believed and Messi ends up playing for Al-Hillal, I鈥檒l be selling his shirt there too, don鈥檛 worry,鈥� Ali said.