Update: Almost a month later, Al Nassr and Nike confirmed a deal for the 2023-24 season, meaning it probably is a one-year deal.
Of course, if the partnership is successful and Cristiano Ronaldo stays next season, Nike should renew the deal.
The agreement will come to effect starting from the AlNassr Japan Tour at the end of July. Until then, the club is still geared with Duneus kits.
Original: Rumours are circulating in Saudi Arabia and Portugal that Al-Nassr, CR7's current team, could soon join Nike.
Al-Nassr, one of the most famous teams in the Saudi Professional League, largely due to the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, might be on the brink of a significant kit deal with Nike.
Al-Nassr Football Club, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was founded in 1955. It’s a pretty successful club of the region, having won the league nine times, the King Cup of Champions on six occasions and the Crown Prince Cup three times. The club's home stadium is the Mrsool Park, which has a capacity of 25,000 spectators.
The colors of Al-Nassr's kits are traditionally yellow and blue, with the home kit being predominantly yellow and the away kit being predominantly blue. The club has had a number of different kit manufacturers over the years, including Nike, New Balance, Victory and Duneus, the current kit manufacturer.
However, Nike might return next season! And it only makes sense, as the Saudi market has become an increasingly important and popular one.
Already know players as Anderson Talisca (former Besiktas player) and Odion Ighalo (ex-Manchester United player) for example, created the first wave of interest. But the the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo this season, Karim Benzema and N'golo Kante next season and certainly more players in the coming months, helps to increase the league’s quality, generating viewership and exposure and therefore money.
And where there’s that type of growth, in a market where small manufacturers currently thrive, it opens a huge opportunity for big brands such as Nike, who already sponsor one team in the league.
What do you think about this expected move? Do you agree? Leave a comment.