Remember Mario Götze? The guy who scored THAT goal in the 2014 World Cup final? Well, he's just dropped an interesting bombshell about his future. The German midfielder says he'd jump at the chance to join Al-Nassr - and it's all because of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Götze, who's currently 33 and playing for Eintracht Frankfurt, didn't hold back when asked about Saudi football. He's clearly impressed by what's happening in the Kingdom, and the Ronaldo factor is huge for him.
"The development of Saudi football is positive, and there are many young players who want to play there," Götze told MBC. "If it were up to me, I'd choose Al-Nassr because Cristiano Ronaldo plays there."
That's quite the endorsement. Götze famously scored the winner against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final at the Maracana. His 113th-minute goal in extra time gave Germany their fourth World Cup title. So yeah, this guy knows a thing or two about big moments in football.
Why This Matters for Al-Nassr
Al-Nassr are currently third in the Saudi Pro League, just one point behind leaders Al-Hilal. They're clearly building something special, and adding a World Cup winner like Götze would be another statement signing. Ronaldo's arrival in December 2022 opened the floodgates for big names heading to Saudi Arabia.
Stars like Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, and Riyad Mahrez followed suit. The league's profile has skyrocketed, and Götze's comments show that even established European players are taking notice. For bettors watching the Saudi Pro League title race, Al-Nassr's ability to attract such talent could be crucial down the stretch.
How's Ronaldo Doing This Season?
Speaking of CR7, the Portuguese legend is having another solid campaign. In 23 games across all competitions, he's bagged 19 goals and three assists. Eighteen of those goals came in the Saudi Pro League, where he's second in the scoring charts behind Al-Ahli's Ivan Toney.
At 41 years old (yes, he just turned 41 this month), Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down. He scored in Al-Nassr's 2-0 win over Al-Fateh last week, taking his career tally to a mind-blowing 962 goals for club and country. That's 64 more than Lionel Messi, by the way.
Götze's contract with Frankfurt runs until the end of the season, so this summer could be decision time. Would he really make the move to Saudi Arabia? If Ronaldo's influence is anything to go by, don't bet against it.
