Cristiano Ronaldo signs with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr
Washington PostJUL 2022
By joining Al Nassr, Ronaldo becomes the highest-paid athlete in the world. But the lucrative contract may also see him become a "sportswashing" tool to improve Saudi Arabia's international reputation and an ambassador for its bid to host the 2030 World Cup. Ronaldo must rethink his decision to affiliate with a country fraught with allegations of human rights abuses.
In today's tumultuous global environment, sports should be used to bridge the gap between divided societies rather than as a tool to polarize each other, but it seems that Western media is intent on doing just that. Rather than making accusations of "sportswashing," attention should be focused on the role that sports play in Saudi Arabia's progressing society.
Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the European stage for the first time comes as a big surprise. But it's a chance for one of soccer's greatest current players to spread his legacy outside the continent. As he plans to retire at 40, a move to Saudi Arabia is likely to mark the swansong of an incredible career.