Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo departed Riyadh for Madrid on Monday night after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) suspended several matches in the Gulf region amid rising security concerns linked to the ongoing Iran conflict.
Flight tracking platform Flightradar24 showed Ronaldo’s private Bombardier Global Express jet taking off from Riyadh at about 9:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. CET).
The aircraft reportedly flew across Egyptian airspace and the Mediterranean Sea before landing in Spain early Tuesday morning.
The 39-year-old forward’s departure followed the postponement of Al-Nassr FC’s AFC Champions League quarter-final clash against Al-Wasl FC, originally scheduled for Wednesday in Dubai.
The fixture was one of eight matches called off by the AFC due to escalating regional instability.
In a statement released on Sunday, the AFC confirmed that all Champions League Elite Round of 16 first-leg matches in the West Region slated for March 2–3 had been rescheduled, citing security considerations.
However, fixtures involving clubs from the East Region are expected to proceed as planned.
Tensions heightened further early Tuesday when Saudi authorities reported that two drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh.
According to the Saudi Defense Ministry, the incident caused a minor fire and limited material damage, with no casualties recorded.
The broader escalation follows missile and drone attacks launched by Tehran across parts of the Gulf in response to joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes over the weekend.
Ronaldo, who resides in Riyadh with his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, and their five children, has been in prolific form this season.
The former Real Madrid CF and Manchester United FC star has netted 22 goals in 26 appearances for Al-Nassr across competitions.
Ronaldo remains under contract with the Saudi Pro League side until 2027, but the latest developments have cast uncertainty over the immediate schedule of continental football in the region as governing bodies continue to monitor the security situation.
The post Ronaldo Leaves Riyadh As AFC Postpones Champions League Matches Over Gulf Tensions first appeared on Africa Top Sports.
