Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr teammates have begun their preparations for the Saudi Super Cup in Hong Kong, utilizing the Football Training Centre to gear up for the competition. The team, including stars like João Félix and Sadio Mané, arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday amidst rainy conditions. Al-Nassr is set to face Al-Ittihad in the semi-final match of the Saudi Super Cup at Hong Kong Stadium next Tuesday.
Despite the downpour, the team demonstrated their dedication by heading straight to training at Kowloon Tong's Joint Sports Centre on the evening of their arrival. Players continued their drills even as the rain worsened. Ronaldo greeted his Hong Kong fans through his Instagram account, posting photos of the rain-soaked training session accompanied by a waving hand emoji and "HK". Al-Nassr's social media channels also documented their journey, including footage of Ronaldo expressing his anticipation with "See you soon, Hong Kong!".
Fans eagerly welcomed the team at their hotel upon their arrival in the city. Just last month, Ronaldo's connection to Hong Kong was strengthened with the opening of a museum dedicated to his career.
Al-Nassr confirmed their arrival in Hong Kong through a social media post that featured a photo of Cristiano Ronaldo, with the caption "From Riyadh to Hong Kong. The mission begins". Eager fans gathered outside the Regent Hong Kong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui hoping to see the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
The Saudi Super Cup kicks off with Al-Nassr facing Al-Ittihad on August 19. Al-Qadsiah will then take on Al-Ahli, who replaced Al-Hilal following their withdrawal in July, the following day. The tournament will culminate in the final on August 23. This event follows last month's Hong Kong Football Festival, which featured four top European clubs.