Transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano has officially cleared the air, confirming that Cristiano Ronaldo is still in Saudi Arabia despite viral reports suggesting a sudden departure.
Speculation reached a fever pitch on Tuesday after flight-tracking data showed the Portuguese superstar’s private jet traveling from Riyadh to Madrid.
However, Romano quickly took to social media to label these claims as “fake news.”
Romano clarified that Cristiano Ronaldo is still in Saudi Arabia to continue his recovery from a minor muscle injury sustained in a recent match against Al Fayha.
The journalist noted that the striker is undergoing specialized treatment at Al Nassr’s training facilities to ensure he is fit for the upcoming league matches.
He said: “Reports in international media about Cristiano Ronaldo who left Saudi Arabia with his family are wide of the mark.
“It’s fake news as Cristiano is now receiving treatment at the Al Nassr training ground after issues in the last game.
“Cristiano has not left Saudi to return to Madrid.”
This comes after reports emerged that Ronaldo has been able to leave Saudi Arabia for Madrid, Spain, following escalating tensions in the Middle East after US-Israeli strikes in Iran.
According to reports on Tuesday, the 41-year-old departed Riyadh late at night aboard his £61 million ($81 million) Bombardier Global Express 6500 private jet.
“Riyadh, where Ronaldo lives with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and their five children, has been affected by attacks linked to the regional conflict,” the report said.
Flightradar24 confirmed that the aircraft “departed Riyadh at 8:00 pm and arrived in Madrid at almost 1:00 am, flying a path over Egypt and the Mediterranean.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that several footballers including former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, are reportedly stranded in the Middle East amid flight cancellations as the crisis escalates.
The disruption has hit the football world particularly hard. Troost-Ekong, who recently signed with Qatari side Al Ahli SC, is among several expatriate players unable to leave the region as Qatar Airways and Emirates ground their fleets.
Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, and Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, are important hubs for travel between Europe, Africa, and Asia. The three airports were all directly hit by Iranian strikes over the weekend. Along with people planning to head to or from the region, travellers who were passing through on multi-leg flights also found themselves stuck.
While some repatriation flights have managed to depart the UAE, the vast majority remain cancelled.
Posting on X on Tuesday, Flightradar24 said cancellations across seven major Middle East airports – Dubai International, Hamad International Airport in Doha, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah International Airport, Kuwait International Airport, Bahrain International Airport, and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International – have now exceeded 12,300 flights from 28 February until 3 March.
The statement from Flightradar24 reads: “Cancellations across seven major Middle East airports (DXB, DOH, AUH, SHJ, KWI, BAH, DWC) have now exceeded 12,300 flights.
Feb 28: 1,400+ flights
March 1: 3,400+ flights
March 2: 3,400+ flights
March 3: 3,300+ flights
March 3: 800+ flights”
