Saudi Arabian law says that people who aren’t married can’t live together, but Cristiano Ronaldo and his girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, are reportedly breaking the law by doing so, the Post Nigeria reports.
After leaving Manchester United, the 37-year-old Portuguese star signed with Al Nassr last month and is expected to make £175 million annually.
On Tuesday, January 3, he made his public debut in front of 25,000 spectators at Mrsool Park in Riyadh, over a backdrop of pyrotechnics, flares, and strobe lighting.
At his debut, Ronaldo’s family was also present on the field. A Spanish newspaper called SPORT recently said that if Ronaldo and Rodriguez live together, they will be breaking Saudi law.
Since Rodriguez and Ronaldo are not married yet, they would technically be breaking Saudi law.
But the Spanish news agency EFE says that Ronaldo is unlikely to be punished because he is one of the most marketable athletes in the world. This is stated further in SPORT’s report.
Using two different Saudi lawyers as examples, the legal experts predicted that the right people would not get involved in Ronaldo’s case.
One said: “Although the laws still prohibit cohabitation without a marriage contract, the authorities have begun to turn a blind eye and do not persecute anyone. Of course, these laws are used when there is a problem or a crime.”