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Cristiano Ronaldo during a Saudi Pro League match of Al Nassr against Al Riyadh at the Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Aug. 21, 2026. Photo by AFP |
Ahead of the draw on Aug. 27, numerous accounts on X posted photos and videos of Ronaldo in a suit at the venue signing jerseys for fans.
A video showing the forward at the event was widely shared, leading many to believe he traveled to Monaco for the Champions League draw this year.
However, these photos were not from 2026. The video was originally posted by the official Champions League account on X in 2024, when Ronaldo actually attended the event in Monaco, according to Goal.
During the 2024 draw, UEFA invited Ronaldo to receive a special award honoring him as the all-time leading scorer in Champions League history. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin presented the award to Ronaldo at Grimaldi Forum, Monaco, on Aug. 29, 2024.
Ronaldo was playing for Al-Nassr at the time but was recognized for scoring 140 goals in 183 Champions League matches. This tally put him 11 goals ahead of Lionel Messi and 46 ahead of Robert Lewandowski.
At the 2024 event, Ronaldo appeared on stage to accept the award, posed with the Champions League trophy and participated in the broadcast.
Cristiano Ronaldo at the Champions League draw in 2024.
The 2026-2027 Champions League draw took place in Monaco on Aug. 27 without Ronaldo in attendance. The event began at 6 p.m. local time to decide the matchups for 36 teams in the league phase.
Ronaldo’s name was not included in the main guest list. UEFA featured other prominent figures like French football icon Thierry Henry, who received an award and participated in the draw alongside former Spanish striker David Villa.
Despite his absence, Ronaldo remained the highlight on the Champions League’s social media channels. Leading up to the draw, the accounts posted two videos featuring the Portuguese superstar and did not mention anyone else, even Lionel Messi.
The Al Nassr captain is nicknamed “Mr. Champions League” for holding the records in both goals and assists.
Ronaldo also had memorable moments at the 2024 draw ceremony. At that time, when asked how it felt not to be playing in the Champions League anymore, he admitted that the competition’s anthem still evoked special emotions in him.
At the moment, Ronaldo is preparing for the next match in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr. The defending champions are set to face Al Taawoun on Friday.