Cristiano Ronaldo says that he “belongs to Saudi Arabia” and believes the 2034 men’s World Cup will be “the most beautiful” edition of the tournament ever.

As reported earlier, the 40-year-old forward signed a new two-year contract with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr on Thursday.

Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr in January 2023, has been vocal in his belief in the Saudi Pro League, saying in January 2024 that it was better than Ligue 1.

The Portugal international said in an interview with the club:  “Of course, we (the Saudi Pro League) are still improving. I believe that in this moment that we are top five (leagues in the world) already. I still believe that we will continue to improve, and we have time.

“We have shown in the last two years that the league is going up all the time. I am happy because I know that the league is very competitive. Only the people who have never played in Saudi Arabia and know nothing about football say this league is not top five (in the world).

“I believe 100 per cent in my words, and the people that play in this league know what I am talking about. So this is why I want to stay (in Saudi), because I believe in the project.

“Not just the next two years but until 2034, which is when the World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia. I believe that will be the most beautiful World Cup ever.”

Asked if he would consider investing into Saudi sport one day, Ronaldo says becoming a coach is not in his plans but that “projects and be part of the growth of the country, to be on the side of the country for sure, I will be next to the country because I’m not coming only to play football, I play for the change of the country’s culture. I’m a part of that process.

“As I say so many times I belong to Saudi Arabia, I’m Portuguese but I belong to Saudi Arabia.”

Human-rights groups criticised Saudi’s suitability to stage the finals since even before it formally expressed an interest in doing so – with many of the misgivings being similar to the questions posed towards the 2022 World Cup when that was awarded to Gulf region neighbour Qatar.

These concerns include the treatment of migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Separate issues noted include sustainability, the weather and the supporter experience.

In its evaluation report, FIFA graded Saudi’s bid as the strongest to have ever been made by a potential World Cup host. To the fury of campaigners, they only graded the country’s human rights as a medium risk.

Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s head of labour rights and sport, called that report an “astonishing whitewash of the country’s atrocious human rights record”.

At the previous World Cup in Qatar two years ago, FIFA asked federations to “focus on the football” amid similar questions.

Why does Saudi Arabia want to host the World Cup?

The Saudi Arabian government says the reason for its sporting expansion is to create investment opportunities, improve public health in the country and develop a sporting infrastructure. It is keen to improve the statistic that some 60 per cent of the Saudi population are overweight or obese.

One aim, given by Yasser Al Misehal, the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, is to increase the number of registered male players there from 21,000 to more than 200,000. He did not mention a target for female ones. But there is more to it than that.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is on a mission to change how his country is seen both internationally and by its 37 million inhabitants.

The central policy for achieving this is Vision 2030 – a series of programmes and developments intended to diversify Saudi’s economy away from fossil fuels, to offset the country’s poor human-rights reputation, and to appease its rapidly-growing and young population. The majority of Saudi’s geopolitical activity can and should be viewed through this prism.

Sport has become one of Vision 2030’s pillars — and the 2034 World Cup will be its crowning glory.

• A Tell Media report / Adapted from The Athletic