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BEIRUT: Al-Nassr’s superstar Cristiano Ronaldo described the Kingdom as a “safe place” with “very good” tourism as he wished the Saudi fans, citizens and leadership a Happy Saudi National Day on Tuesday.
Celebrating with citizens the 95th Saudi National Day, the Portuguese striker said that �������� was a fantastic place to live, and “for me it’s the most special thing, it’s a safe country!”
The Roshn Saudi League is “good” and it “is our job to come in here, and to play football.”
He said that he and his family love being in �������� “because it is a great country.”

In a 52-second-long video that he posted as a story, and on his Instagram profile, 40-year-old Ronaldo talked about the positives he sees in the Kingdom.
“I think they have many things to do … tourism is very good. The schools for the kids are very nice. The tourist parts are very beautiful.”
“I recommend that the people who don’t know �������� should come to visit because tourism is fantastic and the culture is amazing,” he said.
His Instagram post garnered about 748,000 likes within six hours.

Meanwhile, the Al-Nassr forward wrote on his X handle: “Happy Saudi National Day to everyone in �������� … Wishing you a day filled with pride, unity, and celebration with your loved ones.”
The Portuguese international shared images of himself dressed in Saudi attire (white traditional kandura) with a green and white (colors of the Saudi flag) scarf around his neck and shoulders, in a post that was viewed more than 15.5 million times.
His post on X garnered 307,000 likes, 33,000 retweets and 7,300 comments.
Ronaldo shared a photograph of himself with Al-Nassr’s coach, Jorge Jesus, who also donned a traditional outfit.

The experts said countries that host international organizations and sporting competitions with Israel must not “remain neutral in the face of genocide“
They noted that they were calling for a boycott of “the State of Israel and not individual players“

GENEVA: A group of United Nations experts on Tuesday urged the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and Europe’s football association UEFA to suspend Israel over accusations it is committing genocide in Gaza.
“Sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual,” the eight independent UN experts said in a statement.
“National teams representing States that commit massive human rights violations can and should be suspended.”
Contacted by AFP, UEFA refused to comment and FIFA did not respond immediately.
The experts, who are mandated by the UN Human Rights Council but who do not speak on behalf of the United Nations, said suspending Israel was “a necessary response to address the ongoing genocide.”
Their comments came a week after the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), which also does not speak on behalf of the world body, said that “genocide is occurring in Gaza” and that Israel was to blame.
Israel, which launched its retaliatory war in Gaza following Hamas’s deadly attack inside Israel on October 7, 2023, has rejected that accusation.
The experts said countries that host international organizations and sporting competitions with Israel must not “remain neutral in the face of genocide.”
They noted that they were calling for a boycott of “the State of Israel and not individual players.”
“There should be no discrimination or sanctions against individual players because of their origin or nationality,” said the experts, who include Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on rights in the Palestinian territories, and members of the UN working group on business and human rights.
Last week at an event hosted by Amnesty International in London, former Manchester United star Eric Cantona denounced what he called “double standards” enjoyed by Israel.
“Four days after Russia started the war in Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia,” he said.
“We are now 716 days into what Amnesty International has called a genocide, and yet Israel continues to be allowed to participate,” he said.
“FIFA and UEFA must suspend Israel. Clubs everywhere must refuse to play Israeli teams,” he said.