Current:Home > Contact-usIranian soccer fans flock to Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel after he arrives in Tehran with Saudi team-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Iranian soccer fans flock to Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel after he arrives in Tehran with Saudi team
View Date:2025-01-11 13:07:42
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Hundreds of soccer fans stormed into a hotel in Tehran on Monday, hoping for a glimpse of star player Cristiano Ronaldo after he arrived with his Saudi teammates ahead of a game.
Chanting “Ronaldo, Ronaldo,” the fans pushed past police, filling the corridors and public spaces of the Espians Palace Hotel.
Ronaldo arrived on his first visit to Iran with the Saudi football club Al Nassr, which is set to play Iran’s Persepolis in Tehran on Sept. 19. The return game will be played in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Nov. 27.
Ronaldo was the first of several big-name players to accept lavish contracts to play for Saudi teams. The oil-rich kingdom is spending billions of dollars to try to transform itself into a sports and entertainment powerhouse.
The Asian Champions League games are made possible by the restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia following an agreement brokered by China earlier this year. The longtime rivals had severed ties in 2016 after an angry crowd stormed Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran to protest Saudi Arabia’s execution of a popular Shiite cleric.
The 2015 Asian Champions League edition was the last time Saudi and Iranian teams faced each other on home turf in the group stage or knockout rounds.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- Can't afford a home? Why becoming a landlord might be the best way to 'house hack.'
- Man convicted in 2022 shooting of Indianapolis police officer that wounded officer in the throat
- Get a Tan in 1 Hour and Save 46% On St. Tropez Express Self-Tanning Mousse
- Pennsylvania high court takes up challenge to the state’s life-without-parole sentences
- Why Suits' Gabriel Macht Needed Time Away From Harvey Specter After Finale
- Man convicted in 2022 shooting of Indianapolis police officer that wounded officer in the throat
- Snoop Dogg's Brother Bing Worthington Dead at 44
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in January in latest sign that prices picked up last month
- Mandy Moore Captures the Holiday Vibe With These No Brainer Gifts & Stocking Stuffer Must-Haves
- NBA All-Star break power rankings with Finals predictions from Shaq, Barkley and Kenny Smith
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Red Velvet, Please
- Morgan Wallen to open 'This Bar' in downtown Nashville: What to know
- What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing
- Caitlin Clark does it! Iowa guard passes Kelsey Plum as NCAA women's basketball top scorer
- Drone footage captures scope of damage, destruction from deadly Louisville explosion
- Robert Hur, special counsel in Biden documents case, to testify before Congress on March 12
- Greece just legalized same-sex marriage. Will other Orthodox countries join them any time soon?
- Powerball winning numbers for Feb. 14 drawing: Jackpot rises over $300 million
Recommendation
-
California researchers discover mysterious, gelatinous new sea slug
-
The Census Bureau is thinking about how to ask about sex. People have their opinions
-
Simu Liu Teases Barbie Reunion at 2024 People's Choice Awards
-
Biden to visit East Palestine, Ohio, today, just over one year after train derailment
-
West Virginia expands education savings account program for military families
-
You could save the next Sweetpea: How to adopt from the Puppy Bowl star's rescue
-
Baltimore County police officer indicted on excessive force and other charges
-
Love Is Blind Season 6: What Jess Wishes She Had Told Chelsea Amid Jimmy Love Triangle