How Cristiano Ronaldo Left Saudi League Star in Tears After Pitch Encounter
- Portugal and Al-Nassr captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, once left his opponent in the Saudi Pro League in tears
- His opponent, Fashion Sakala, was overwhelmed with emotions after his encounter with the Portuguese
- Despite being moved to tears, Sakala holds the moment of sharing the same pitch with CR7 in high esteem
Cristiano Ronaldo's influence cannot be overstated, and his unexpected yet lucrative transfer to the Saudi Pro League is a clear testament to his far-reaching impact.
Since his move to Al-Nassr in January 2023, many top-tier stars have been drawn to the Middle East, inspired by the Portuguese icon.
Source: UGC
Among these stars is Fashion Sakala, a speedy forward from Zambia.
Last summer, he joined the Saudi League, signing a two-year contract with Al-Fayha.
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Although his transfer didn't generate the same buzz as those of Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane, Sakala made a significant impact in the Saudi top division.
How Fashion Sakala performed in the Saudi Pro League
The 28-year-old netted an impressive 19 goals, ranking him the third-highest scorer in the championship, and added six assists in 31 matches.
According to Transfermarkt, Fashion contributed 31 goals in 41 appearances across all competitions, marking a stellar debut season.
Reflecting on his first year in Saudi Arabia, the former Rangers cult hero shared that joining Al-Fayha was an easy choice.
The offer matched his long-held ambitions, including the dream of meeting Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sakala, who has idolised Ronaldo since childhood, recounted the emotional moment of playing alongside his hero.
How Ronaldo left Sakala in tears after pitch encounter
In a touching exchange after a match, when Sakala asked for Ronaldo's shirt, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner also requested his in return.
This heartfelt gesture brought Sakala to tears, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
"Ronaldo opened the door for many players to come to the Saudi League. In one of the matches, I asked for Cristiano's shirt.
"And the interesting thing is that he asked me to give him my shirt, and this made me cry because I fulfilled my childhood dream.
"I remember I went into the dressing room, and I was just dropping tears," he told Saudi League's official Youtube channel.
Ronaldo shares adorable family photo
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ronaldo is a core family man and recently shared adorable photos of his family on vacation with a heartwarming caption that got fans talking.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has moved on from the disappointment of the 2024 European Championship with Portugal, where France eliminated them in the quarter-final.
Ronaldo, who failed to score at the tournament, is on vacation with his family in Saudi Arabia ahead of the 2024/24 Pro League season.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
