Olayiwola Matthew
A growing speculation that football icon, Cristiano Ronaldo may switch faith to Islam has been further fuelled by Waleed Abdullah, the former goalkeeper of his Saudi Arabia club, Al-Nassr.
According to Morocco World News, Abdullah remarked during a programme, Al-Hissa Al-Akhira, that Ronaldo is open to conversion to Islam.
The former Al -Nassr goalkeeper cited Ronaldo’s clear integration and adaptation to Saudi Arabian culture to back the claim.
“Ronaldo genuinely wants to convert to Islam. I spoke to him about it, and he expressed interest. He has already prostrated on the field after scoring, and he always encourages the players to pray and follow Islamic religious practices,” said the former Saudi international.
Abdullah went on to explain that Ronaldo has taken a deep interest in local culture, especially Islam and its practices, in order to better respect and understand his Muslim teammates.
Demonstrating a great deal of kindness toward them, the Portuguese star has ensured that his teammates have time to pray between training sessions.
Abdullah shared more insights into Cristiano Ronaldo’s growing interest in Islam, revealing how the superstar has shown respect for Islamic practices since his arrival in Saudi Arabia.
“When the call to prayer sounds during training, Ronaldo asks the coach to pause the session until it’s finished,” Abdullah explained.
“In the beginning, I was close to Cristiano because he wasn’t familiar with the country’s culture, the club, or other aspects. He was curious and often asked me questions about certain details.”
According to Abdullah, Ronaldo has always been interested in converting to Islam. Before his move to Al-Nassr in the winter of 2023, reports suggested that his former Real Madrid teammates, Mesut Özil and Karim Benzema, had tried to convince him to become a Muslim.
The former Al-Nassr goalkeeper pointed out a particularly telling moment: “When Ronaldo prostrated on the field after scoring, all the players shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ in unison.”
However, Abdullah added to Al-Hissa Al-Akhira that regardless of whether Ronaldo decides to embrace Islam, his discipline and commitment as a player are unquestionable.
“He is an extremely disciplined and dedicated player, and it’s this discipline that has brought him to this position,” he said.
Abdullah also spoke about Ronaldo’s humility, noting that both he and his son behave with simplicity and warmth toward others.
“Anyone who comes to Saudi Arabia appreciates him and feels comfortable with him,” he added.