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Ronaldo's jet leaves Saudi Arabia for Spain after Iran war sparks AFC pause

Ronaldo lives in Riyadh where he plays for Al-Nassr
Ronaldo lives in Riyadh where he plays for Al-Nassr Copyright  AP Photo
Copyright AP Photo
By Joana Mourão Carvalho
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Cristiano Ronaldo's private jet left Riyadh for Madrid as the AFC suspended West Region matches amid the Iran war, following drone and missile attacks in the Gulf.

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's private jet left Saudi Arabia on Monday night for Madrid as the Asian Football Confederation suspended eight matches in the Gulf region following the outbreak of the Iran war.

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Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the Portuguese footballer's Bombardier Global Express departed Riyadh at approximately 9 pm local time Monday (7 pm CET) and landed in Spain overnight on Tuesday after flying over Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea, media outlets reported.

The 39-year-old's team, Al-Nassr, had its AFC Champions League quarter-final against Al-Wasl postponed. It was originally scheduled for Wednesday in Dubai.

The US embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones early Tuesday morning. The Saudi Defence Ministry said the attack caused a limited fire and minor material damage to the building. No injuries were reported.

Ronaldo lives in Riyadh with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and their five children.

The AFC announced Sunday it was rescheduling all Champions League Elite Round of 16 first-leg matches in the West Region originally planned for 2-3 March, citing security concerns.

The federation said matches involving clubs from the East Region across all AFC competitions would proceed as originally scheduled.

Tehran launched waves of missile and drone attacks across the region in retaliation for the joint US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.

Ronaldo has scored 22 goals in 26 matches for Al-Nassr this season. His contract with the Saudi club runs until 2027.

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