Saudi Super Cup: Ronaldo fever strikes again, fans flock to stadium hours before kick-off
Fans wait for glimpse of global superstar ahead of Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad clashing in first semi-final at Hong Kong Stadium
Thousands of football fans descended on Hong Kong Stadium hours before Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr took on Al-Ittihad in the first semi-final of the Saudi Super Cup on Tuesday.
All roads leading to the stadium were a sea of jerseys sporting Ronaldo’s name on the back, as thousands from Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China and Saudi Arabia made their way to the ground.
There was even one spectator wearing a shirt that combined Al-Nassr, Real Madrid and Manchester United colours and badges, all teams the Portuguese star has played for during his illustrious career.
And for those who forked out thousands of dollars and travelled hundreds of miles, it was worth every penny, as 10-man Al-Nassr won a dramatic game 2-1.
“I don’t think winning or losing is important, for most of my life I’ve always been worried I wouldn’t be able to see Ronaldo’s game,” said Man Li, who spent more than 10,000 yuan on a ticket, hotel and travel from southwest China’s Chongqing.
“It’s all worth it,” the 32-year-old manager said. “I almost went to Saudi Arabia to watch a match last year, but the timing wasn’t right. I think if I didn’t get to see him play, I’d regret it.”