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Living in ‘sin’? Ronaldo, Rodriguez highlight Saudi double standard | The Express Tribune
RIYADH:
When Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez announced their engagement this month, two things stood out: the outsized diamond ring, and their unmarried cohabitation in conservative Saudi Arabia.
The celebrity couple and their blended brood of five children have been living in the birthplace of Islam for more than two years, untroubled by laws against extra-marital relationships.
Their situation highlights the fact that while authorities now turn a blind eye for foreigners, such privileges remain off-limits for Saudis, who must still get married before living together.
Foreign couples, including Muslims, can now move in together or stay at hotels without being married, an arrangement that has only been tolerated in recent times.
It’s “part of a broader social transformation in Saudi Arabia”, said Sebastian Sons of the German think tank CARPO.
“While conservative rules and regulations remain in place, they are less dominant than in previous years.
As a result, these strict rules are now applied with greater flexibility and pragmatism,” he told AFP.
In major cities, after decades of gender separation, young Saudis can now mingle freely in public spaces, another sign of the country’s loosening-up.
However, living together before marriage remains a rarity, reserved mainly for the well-heeled who quietly share accommodation in expensive residential compounds.
Ronaldo, 40, and model Rodriguez, 31, are an incongruous feature of Saudi life, continually posting about their luxurious lifestyle, often with sultry poses in revealing clothing.
They have been generally embraced by the youthful Saudi population, two-thirds of it under 35, who reacted to their engagement with well-wishes, memes and jokes.
However, buried among the good-humoured responses — and comments about the multimillion-dollar ring — were pockets of disapproval.
“How could the land of the two holy mosques accept such impurity for two years?” posted Raad Mohammed on X, referring to Mecca and Medina, Islam’s holiest sites.
“Their children are children of sin,” wrote another social media user called Asma.
It is hard to imagine Ronaldo and Rodriguez in the Saudi Arabia of just a few years ago, when religious police would harangue women for violating the strict dress code, and cinemas and live music were banned.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, much has changed, as he attempts to open up the country and end its economic reliance on oil.
Many women now forgo veils and head-coverings in urban centres, non-Muslim tourists are allowed, and since 2018, women can legally drive.
Saudi petrodollars have attracted a steady stream of international stars and sports events, and lavish resorts and entertainment districts have sprung up.
“In the past we were strictly checking the marital status” of guests, said a Riyadh-based hotel reservations manager who gave his name as Al Waleed.
“Now we don’t care about who stays with whom.”
Ronaldo, signed by Al Nassr for a hefty fee in early 2023, has been central to this strategy.
Since his arrival to enormous fanfare, a stream of top players have joined him in the Saudi Pro League, and Saudi has won a giant prize: hosting the 2034 World Cup.
“Ronaldo has gained significant prominence within the Saudi football community, where he is seen as both a role model and an ideal ambassador for the government’s ambitious goal of placing Saudi Arabia firmly on the global football map,” said Sons.
Ronaldo and Rodriguez, soon to be respectably married, will remain a fixture in Riyadh for some time.
In June, after much speculation, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner extended his contract with Al-Nassr to 2027.
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Dolphins GM Chris Grier says fans threatened his family in string of vile emails after team’s lackluster year
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The Miami Dolphins finished last season with an 8-9 record and failed to qualify for the NFL playoffs. The disappointing year sparked ire from some of the Dolphins’ faithful.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier spoke to the media on Wednesday, the day after trimming the team’s roster to 53 by the league’s deadline. Grier spoke about the general structure of the roster entering the 2025 campaign and also touched on the status of specific players as Week 1 draws closer.
But the media session took a turn when Grier revealed fan angst had resulted in emails targeting his children.
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General manager Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins looks on prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“If I’m out, people have always been respectful and nice, and they just say ‘Hey, keep going. Appreciate you.’ The guys to my face have been nice. I know there’s people that are upset… (but) that’s any job,” Grier said.
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Grier acknowledged the angst that last season’s ending sparked.
“And if I was comfortable and saying I felt what things are, then I’m an a–h— …because I’m not being realistic about where we are as a team and where things are going …after last season. I’m frustrated like [them] that we didn’t win enough games last year. I understand that, I don’t take things personally. When I’m out, people have generally been very positive and stuff to me.”
Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier walks not the field prior to the game between the Miami Dolphins and the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on Sept. 30, 2024. (Jasen Vinlove/Imagn Images)
“I’ve gotten some colorful emails from a couple of people…..[one] hoping my kids die of cancer,” Grier said. “That’s a fun one. That’s why I don’t take things very personal or real because other people have other issues and stuff in life.”
Aug 3, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, US; A general view of a Miami Dolphins helmet on the field during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. (Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)
Grier was elevated to the Dolphins’ general manager post in 2016. He joined the franchise as a scout in 2000.
As it relates to pressing roster matters, Grier confirmed that cornerback Cam Smith will start the regular season on the non-football injury list. Smith appeared in six games during the 2024 season.
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Grier gave a positive update on running back De’Von Achane’s availability for the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. Achane has recently been contending with a calf injury.
“All indications for us is that Achane will be ready Week 1 to go,” Grier told reporters on Wednesday.
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FORT LAUDERDALE:
Lionel Messi scored twice late on as Inter Miami fought back to beat Orlando City 3-1 and reach the final of the Leagues Cup on Wednesday.
After missing two straight matches with a right thigh injury, Messi converted a penalty in the 77th minute to pull Inter level at 1-1 then combined with Jordi Alba to put the hosts ahead in the 88th.
Telasco Segovia added a third in injury time as Miami returned to the final of the Leagues Cup, the cross-border competition featuring teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga-MX.
Inter won it in 2023, Messi’s first season in MLS.
They will face reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy or Seattle Sounders in Sunday’s final.
Orlando will play in a third-place game, and the top three finishers in the tournament earn berths in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
In a high-energy first half, Croatia’s Marco Pasalic silenced the crowd at Miami’s Chase Stadium with a goal in first-half added time.
Luis Muriel slipped a pass into the area and Maximiliano Falcon’s attempt to clear it instead saw the ball deflect back to Pasalic, who rifled a left-footed shot into the net.
Inter players appealed saying the ball hit Pasalic’s arm but VAR confirmed the goal.
Orlando, who had twice humbled their cross-state rivals this season, continued to stymie Inter in the second half.
Luis Suarez forced a save from Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese while Messi twice threatened in the area only to find himself swamped in a sea of defenders.
Inter coach Javier Mascherano was visibly frustrated as he watched from the stands, having received a red card during the quarter-final win over Tigres UANL.
Orlando lost some momentum in the 59th minute when Guatemalan referee Walter Lopez denied them a penalty shout after Sergio Busquets’ foul on Ivan Angulo.
And the momentum shifted irrevocably Miami’s way in the 74th minute when substitute Tadeo Allende drew a foul in the box.
David Brekalo’s challenge included a tug on Allende’s jersey and earned him a second yellow card.
He departed as Messi went to the spot, the Argentine great firing past Gallese into the lower right corner of the net.
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi sparked joyous celebrations with his second goal 11 minutes later.
Orlando had won two prior matches against Miami this season by a combined 7-1 margin, including a 4-1 rout earlier this month.
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