Cristiano Ronaldo showed support for Saudi Arabia by waving a scarf bearing the country’s flag after Al-Nassr’s Asian Champions League victory in Riyadh, where a missile alert had delayed the match by an hour amid renewed fighting in Yemen.
Al-Nassr defeated Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana 3-1 at Al-Awwal Park on Monday after players and spectators were forced to wait for an official safety announcement before kick-off. Saudi Civil Defence issued the warning about 15 minutes before the scheduled start, leaving players in the dressing rooms while fans remained in their seats.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi movement said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired towards the capital. Civil Defence later announced that the danger had passed, allowing the match to proceed.
After the final whistle, Ronaldo joined his teammates in applauding supporters and draped the Saudi flag scarf around his shoulders. Before the match, the Portuguese forward had also kissed the Saudi national emblem on his shirt, gestures that came as the kingdom faced heightened security concerns following deadly attacks.
Al-Nassr later shared a quote from Ronaldo’s June 2025 interview with the club on its Arabic-language X account: “I’m Portuguese, but I belong to Saudi Arabia.” He made the remark after extending his contract until 2027. Ronaldo joined the Saudi club in January 2023, becoming one of the most prominent international footballers to move to the country’s domestic league.
The 41-year-old also reached another personal milestone during Monday’s match. His goal in the 42nd minute brought his career tally to 981, leaving him 19 goals short of the 1,000-goal mark.
Angelo Gabriel had opened the scoring for Al-Nassr before Neftchi Fergana’s Alisher Odilov equalised in the second half. The visitors later had a player sent off and conceded an own goal as the Saudi side secured its first victory of the campaign, having lost its opening match 4-0 to Al-Ain.
Some love is spoken. Some is simply shown 🇸🇦💚 https://t.co/dksRpjewug
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) October 12, 2026
The sporting result came against a backdrop of serious security concerns in Riyadh. According to the original report, Houthi attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport over the weekend killed 14 people and injured hundreds more. Saturday’s strike reportedly killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, while a further attack on Sunday killed one person and injured 11.
The airport remained closed at the time of the report. Saudi officials speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity said an investigation was examining how missiles and drones had breached the kingdom’s air defences.
The attacks have coincided with renewed fighting in Yemen after four years of relative calm. Forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government launched a Saudi-backed offensive against the Iran-aligned Houthis earlier this month, adding to regional tensions and security risks.
Ronaldo was not the only footballer to publicly express solidarity with Saudi Arabia. Merih Demiral, a Turkey international who plays in defence for Al-Ahli Saudi FC, offered condolences during a press conference on Sunday.
“My thoughts, prayers and heart are with them,” Demiral said, describing Saudi Arabia as his second home.
The delayed fixture highlighted how regional security developments can affect professional football, even when matches are eventually cleared to proceed. For Al-Nassr, the evening brought a valuable first win of the campaign and another milestone for Ronaldo, while the wider situation remained overshadowed by the deadly attacks and disruption to civilian life in the Saudi capital.
