Al Nassr team has finally landed in India during early hours of Tuesday, October 21 to take on FC Goa in AFC Champions League Two Match. The FC Goa vs Al Nassr match is set to be played at Fatorda stadium on October 22nd.
Stars like Sadio Mane, Kingsley Coman & Joao Felix were seen makign their way through the airport without the talismanic player Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese icon decided against travelling to India to face bottom placed FC Goa. The Gaurs shared the visual of the arrival on social media account
Why Is Cristiano Ronaldo Not Travelling To India?
According to Saudi outlet Al Riyadhiah, the 40-year-old has decided to opt out of the trip despite appeals from FC Goa’s management. The Al Nassr forward is believed to be carefully managing his workload as he prepares for what could be his final chapter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His contract with Al-Nassr also has a clause giving him the right to pick and choose matches outside Saudi Arabia.
Earlier Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said that Ronaldo visiting the Goa will be a moment of great pride for the state and the football capital of India. He had added, "Ronaldo's presence will inspire thousands of young players and will put Goa firmly on the global sports tourism map. For Goans, who live and breathe football, his visit would be more than a special event. His visit would be a celebration of passion, excellence and the unifying power of the beautiful game,"
What's next for Al Nassr?
Al-Nassr have won both their group-stage fixtures of Asian AFC Champions League 2 in the absence of Ronaldo, and are poised to advance to the next round. After their match against FC Goa, Al-Nassr will be taking on rivals Al Ittihad in a round of 16 clash of the Kings Cup on October 28.
