Ronaldo did not take part in Al-Nassr’s first two matches of the AFC Champions League-2 group stage, but the team continued its winning streak. On September 17, they defeated Tajikistan’s Istiklol FC 5-0 in Riyadh, and on October 1, Al-Nassr secured a 2-0 victory over Iranian club Al-Zawraa in Baghdad.
A win against Goa would basically secure Al-Nassr's passage to the next round. Reportedly, Ronaldo's visa application for Iran wasn't even submitted due to security concerns. However, visa applications for 104 individuals, including Ronaldo, have already been filed for the India visit.
An Al-Nassr delegation has already visited Goa, finalizing hotel arrangements and practice grounds. These representatives informed FC Goa officials about Ronaldo's desire to visit Goa. The Portuguese superstar's interest in Goa stems from its Portuguese connection.
Goa was under Portuguese dominion for four and a half centuries. Even today, most of the city's inhabitants adhere to the Portuguese language, cuisine, and culture. Portuguese architecture is present throughout the whole city.
The 40-year-old Ronaldo is currently balancing his commitments between club and country. On September 26, he played against Al-Ittihad in the Saudi league, scoring one goal in Al-Nassr's 2-0 victory.
For now, his focus is on two crucial World Cup qualifier home matches for Portugal. The team is going to face Ireland on October 12 and Hungary on October 15. Victories in these two matches would effectively guarantee Ronaldo and his teammates a spot in next year's World Cup.
After serving for his country, Ronaldo's focus will turn to the India tour. Both of FC Goa's ACL-2 group stage games against Istiklol and Al-Zawraa have ended in defeat. But the team led by Manolo Marquez is giddy with anticipation for the matchup with Al-Nassr. Ronaldo is not the only notable member of the team; Sadio Mané, a former Liverpool star, Kingsley Coman of Bayern Munich, João Félix of Chelsea, Bento, a Brazilian goalkeeper, and Marcelo Brozović of Inter Milan are also on it. The previous two games featured these players.
Goan fans are gearing up to witness their home team's match against the star-studded Al-Nassr. Online tickets for the match have sold out. The lowest-priced tickets were priced at 2,500 rupees. Gallery tickets with higher prices went for 8,500 rupees. Additionally, VVIP tickets were available for 25,000 rupees.
The ticket sales have soared on the bright prospect of Ronaldo's arrival.
