WATCH: Ronaldo's behind the scenes footage video from Al Nassr's debut game goes viral

After serving his two-match suspension, Cristiano Ronaldo finally made his Al Nassr debut on January 22 against Al Ettifaq. Even though the Portuguese international had signed a contract with the Saudi Arabian outfit on December 31st, he was not permitted to play until this past Sunday. Ronaldo was required to serve a ban that was placed on him by England's Football Association after he slammed an Everton fan's phone to the ground in anger last year.

With Ronaldo finally making his much-awaited debut for the club this past weekend, behind-the-scenes footage that shows him as a leader have gone viral. As seen in the video below, the 37-year-old can be heard motivating the team by urging them to play their best and get the three points.

Cristiano Ronaldo captivates fans on debut but fails to score

Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score in his Saudi Pro League debut for Al Nassr, but his presence electrified fans at King Saud University Stadium as the team beat Ettifaq 1-0 to retake first place on Sunday. Talisca headed the winner in the 31st minute when Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem’s cross was too high for Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner who has starred for the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus, and Manchester United, signed a deal until June 2025 with Al Nassr, apparently after rejecting offers from Europe, North America, and beyond. According to AP, the Portuguese international could be earning up to $200 million a year from the deal, which would make him the highest-paid soccer player in history. 

While Al Nassr president Musalli Almuammar did not confirm the figures in Ronaldo’s two-and-a-half-year contract, he did state that the 37-year-old deserves to be the highest-paid player on the planet. Ronaldo signed the blockbuster deal with Al Nassr after he had mutually agreed with Manchester United to terminate his contract following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

In the interview, Ronaldo made his frustrations with the Dutch manager clear by explaining why he had no respect for him. "I don't have respect for him (Ten Hag) because he doesn't show respect for me. If you don't have respect for me, I'm never gonna have respect for you," explained the Portuguese international.

(Inputs from AP)