Only hours after Cristiano Ronaldo penned a two-year contract with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr, crowds flocked to a football kit store in Riyadh to buy the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's new club jersey.
Cristiano Ronaldo posing with his new Al Nassr number seven jersey © - / Al Nassr Football Club/AFP
Abdulmohsen al-Ayyban, 41, and his nine-year old son, Nayef, were among those queueing at Al Nassr club's official kit store on Saturday where clerks where busy pressing Ronaldo's name onto t-shirts.
"We are witnessing a historic moment," al-Ayyban told AFP of the deal which he believes "will elevate the Saudi football league".
Ronaldo on Friday signed for Al Nassr until June 2025 in a deal believed to be worth more than 200 million euros.
A wide smile stretched across Nayef's face as he proudly held his new jersey aloft.
For the young Saudi, a dream has come true.
"I have always wanted Al Nassr to acquire the best player in the world," he said. "I will make sure to watch all his games at the stadium."
Ronaldo, 37, is expected to appear before fans next Thursday, an official from the Al Nassr club told AFP.
For Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo is the latest high-priced sporting jewel acquired to add lustre to their international image.
At home, the deal further fuelled national fervour that spiked after the kingdom defeated eventual winners Argentina in the early stages of the 2022 World Cup, a victory hailed as one of greatest shocks in the tournament's history.
A young fan proudly holds his new Ronaldo jersey at the Al Nassr FC shop in the Saudi capital Riyadh © Fayez Nureldine / AFP
An unprecedented rush at the Al Nassr kit store started as soon as reports of the deal were leaked to the local press on Friday night -- hours before the official announcement.
Abdulqader, the store manager said queues snaked all the way outside the shop and have only grown since.
T-shirt stocks have nearly emptied, pushing customers to bring in their own to have the player's name printed on them -- a process which will take up to two days.
"I have never seen anything like this in my life," Abdulqader told AFP.
Social media explosion
Inside the store, a festive mood prevailed, as Lebanese, Egyptian and Chinese nationals bolstered the massive number of Saudis hoping to get their Ronaldo merch.
"I have been a fan of Ronaldo since I was a child and now the Saudi club I support has bought him... my joy is doubled," said Saudi university student Mohammad al-Johni, decked out in the Al Nassr club's official shirt.
Fans queue for Ronaldo's number 7 jersey at the Saudi Al Nassr FC shop in Riyadh © Fayez Nureldine / AFP
"I will be the first person attending his welcoming ceremony," the 23-year-old added.
Rakan Mohammad, a 21-year old university student, echoed the excitement.
"The deal confirms the value of the Al Nassr club," he said. "Enthusiasm and expectations are high."
On social media networks, Al Nassr's channels saw a major boost.