Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly left Saudi Arabia in the dead of night on his private jet, as the American embassy in Riyadh was allegedly targeted by Iranian drone strikes.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, living in the Saudi capital with his partner Georgina Rodríguez and their five children, is said to have made this decision amid heightened security concerns. According to The Sun, his Bombardier Global Express took a flight of about seven hours to Madrid, flying over Egypt and the Mediterranean before landing in Spain in the early morning hours.
This move comes as several foreign nationals are trying to leave the region amid escalating military tensions in the Middle East. His former teammate at Manchester United, Rio Ferdinand, has reportedly mentioned being stuck with his family in Dubai, in a situation reminiscent of a lockdown.
However, a source close to the Saudi media outlet Al-Riyadiyah claims that Cristiano Ronaldo is still in Saudi Arabia, casting doubt on the reality of this nighttime departure.
