“Ronaldo genuinely wants to convert to Islam” - Cristiano Ronaldo’s former teammate says Portugal captain wants to change religion

Former Al-Nassr goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to convert to Islam. Abdullah said he spoke to the Portuguese icon about changing his religion and that the latter showed interest in it.

Ronaldo, 39, is known to have grown up in a Catholic home and has openly expressed his Christian faith. However, his move to Saudi Arabia in 2023 introduced him to a predominantly Islamic cultural environment.

Abdullah, who shared the locker room with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr before moving to Al-Diraiyah in the summer, recently asserted that the legendary player wants to convert to Islam. He said the five-time Ballon d'Or winner once performed a Sujud (prostration) on the field after scoring and encouraged his teammates to follow Islamic traditions.

“Ronaldo genuinely wants to convert to Islam. I spoke to him about it, and he expressed interest,” Abdullah said (via Tribune). He has already prostrated on the field after scoring, and he always encourages the players to pray and follow Islamic religious practices.”

The goalkeeper highlighted that Portugal ace has shown a keen interest in understanding Islamic traditions to foster stronger connections with his Muslim teammates. Abdullah also claimed that the Al-Nassr star ensures his colleagues have the necessary time to perform their prayers during training sessions.

“When the call to prayer sounds during training, Ronaldo asks the coach to pause the session until it's finished,” he added, underlining the footballer’s sensitivity to local religious customs.

Abdullah also said that the 39-year-old was eager to learn about the country’s culture when he arrived in Saudi Arabia.

“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.”

Amid the speculations surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s conversion, Abdullah emphasized the dedication and professionalism of the 900 plus-goal veteran, saying he is extremely committed and disciplined.

When Cristiano Ronaldo compared himself to God and said his arrogance made him the best

In 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo likened himself to God and claimed that his arrogance contributed to his success. The then-Real Madrid man had faced a lot of criticism.

However, he said he wouldn’t change his approach to life based on the opinions of others. He told Mundo Deportivo (via The Independent):

"There are people out there who hate me and who say I'm arrogant, vain and whatever. That's all part of my success. I am made to be the best. We cannot live being obsessed with what other people think about us. It's impossible to live like that. Not even God managed to please the entire world."

"I have a clear conscience. I sleep well. I feel good helping others, regardless of whether that's with big things or small things. I look at life differently ever since I became a father. I can deal with the pressure because of the difficult life I have had. The person I am now is the result of the time I spent without my family and because of the difficult times I went through," he added.

He concluded:

"I was ironing my own clothes when I was 11-years-old. My mental strength goes back to those days. If this is what I am, if everything I've achieved in football has been for this, I couldn't possibly ask for anything else. If you offer me an improvement, I'd accept it, but change is very complicated."