Al Nassr teammate explains how Ronaldo's arrival has made life harder for his teammates

Ronaldo joined the Saudi Pro League club at the end of December following the termination of his contract at Manchester United.

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As a result, he is now the highest-paid footballer in the world.

The Portuguese star signed a £173million-per-season contract with the club, and made his debut for them in January.

Last Thursday, he scored his first goal in the Saudi Pro League - a late equaliser from the penalty spot against Al Fateh to earn a 2-2 draw.

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Now, Luiz Gustavo has spoken about Ronaldo's presence in the team and how opposition sides are more intent on keeping him quiet.

Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, the Brazilian said: "The presence of Cristiano Ronaldo gives his rivals more incentive to beat the league leaders."

The former Bayern Munich and Marseille midfielder then went on to add: "His presence makes our matches more difficult. The opposing teams try to play their best against him.

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"Cristiano motivates everyone. His presence guarantees a great advantage to our group because we learn from him every day, given the great technical and physical qualities he possesses.

"Cristiano Ronaldo was created for challenges, and he always succeeds. He's already scored his first goal, and so he's taken the pressure off."

Al Nassr are hoping to win their first league title since 2019 and currently top the league, but only on goal difference as they are level on points with Al Shabab.

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Ronaldo has signed a deal with Al Nassr until 2025 and his coach, Rudi Garcia, insists he will not retire there, returning to Europe to finish off his career.

The forward, who turned 38 on Sunday, will be 40 when his contract expires.