Asian football has come a long way. A decade ago, when we spoke of the AFC Cup — now called the AFC Champions League (ACL) 2 — or even the AFC Champions League, seldom did we mention global stars. China started the trend with the Chinese Super League, bringing in top names like Didier Drogba (Shanghai Shenhua, 2012), Hulk (Shanghai SIPG, 2016), Carlos Tevez (Shanghai Shenhua, 2017), Oscar (Shanghai SIPG, 2017), and many more over the years.
Currently, it’s Saudi Arabia that’s continuing the trend with their Saudi Pro League and doing it successfully, unlike the ultimately failed project that was the CSL.
In the recent ACL 2 draw, perhaps the biggest news for Indian football was that FC Goa were drawn in the same group (Group D) as Saudi giants Al Nassr FC. Finishing third in their league last season, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr are set to play in the second tier of the Asian tournament. And, fortunately for Indian football fans, there’s a high chance of watching Ronaldo — now in the twilight of his career — play an official match on Indian soil.
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Legends have visited India on sponsored tours, many after retirement. The biggest example is Diego Maradona. Pele came over for an exhibition match and later came on a sponsored trip. Lionel Messi’s Argentina played a friendly match against Venezuela in 2011 at Salt Lake Stadium. Bayern Munich with Oliver Kahn also made an appearance. Years before these, the now-defunct Nehru Cup saw some famous players from Argentina, Uruguay and Poland.
However, this would be the first time that a team featuring stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, João Félix, or recent additions like Kingsley Coman, would be coming to India to play an official competitive match.
According to AFC rules, Al Nassr are scheduled to play FC Goa as part of the round-robin format in the group stage. However, the bigger question remains: Will Ronaldo come to India?
Multiple reports suggest that the Portuguese might not travel to India to play the away leg fixture against FC Goa. As per his current contract, a clause allows him to play selective matches based on personal preference. Last season, he skipped multiple away fixtures in the AFC tournament, citing logistical and security concerns. When he travelled to Iran, the trip was reportedly marred by serious challenges.
But India is different.
As the world’s fastest-growing economy with a massive fan-base for global football — and especially for CR7 the brand — India presents a unique opportunity. When Ronaldo signed with Al Nassr, the club’s jerseys sold out in India. Not many in this country had heard the name of this club before Ronaldo signed for them.
Nowadays, every major European club or league tries to capture the Indian market, whether through Hindi posts during Diwali, Bengali posts during Durga Puja, or social media content featuring Bollywood references. The digital push for Indian fan engagement is stronger than ever. They even do active fan engagement programmes in different parts of India.
This presents a huge opportunity for both parties (Goa and Al Nassr) to look beyond just football and leverage the CR7 brand in one of the world’s largest partly-untapped sporting markets. If Al Nassr’s management can convince Ronaldo to travel to India, it could prove to be a golden opportunity, not only for increased fan engagement but also for commercial partnerships and future deals that benefit both the club and the region.
According to a report by The Economic Times in 2011, the Argentina vs Venezuela match at Salt Lake Stadium generated Rs 20 crore from broadcast rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales. Adjusted for inflation, that would amount to around Rs 41 crore in 2025, for a friendly match.
Now imagine how much an official match might earn if Ronaldo plays at the Fatorda Stadium. Goa is also a hub of Ronaldo fans owing to their Portuguese heritage.
While it may be challenging to persuade someone of Ronaldo’s stature to step outside contractual limitations, especially when Al Nassr are clear favourites against the Indian side, it would arguably be the biggest occasion in Indian football history. Hosting Ronaldo and his team for an official AFC Champions League 2 match would be a landmark event.
With Messi reportedly coming to India once again for a promotional event later this year, his arch rival Ronaldo might just consider coming to India and put a smile to his million fans in this part of the world.
Both FC Goa and Al Nassr managements should work in tandem to make this happen. Goa deserves a ‘siuu’.
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