DUBAI: Argentine model and reality TV star Georgina Rodriguez’s move to Riyadh after long-time partner Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr football team has captured global attention.
As the spotlight shifted from the football field to their family life, Rodriguez’s experiences in Riyadh became the subject of international interet, with fans around the world flocking to her Instagram account to keep an eye on the family’s outings in the Saudi capital.
Since her arrival in Saudi Arabia in January, Rodriguez has shared snapshots of her outings across the city, her exploration of Riyadh’s surrounding desert area, and moments with Ronaldo and their children in the Kingdom.
Her first appearance in Riyadh was during the signing ceremony of Ronaldo with Al-Nassr, when she set off a frenzy on social media as fans from Saudi Arabia and beyond rushed to copy her style on TikTok and Instagram.
Amassing millions of views, beauty aficionados online shared their take on Rodriguez’s pink-hued makeup look, complete with rose-flushed cheeks and January’s on-trend brownie glazed lip.
“Thank you so much Saudi Arabia for such an amazing welcome,” she posted on Instagram at the time. “We are extremely excited for this new adventure with @alnassr_fc and we’d like to say thank you to everyone that made it happen.”
After settling in, the couple and their children started exploring Riyadh. Rodriguez and Ronaldo have two children together and Rodriguez is stepmother to his three other children.
Family activities they have enjoyed include cinema trips, mall visits and a stop at Boulevard World in Riyadh in January.
The entertainment zone, which was part of the Riyadh Season festivities, was packed with attractions and activities for visitors of all ages, including cable cars, amusement rides, carnival games and obstacle courses. The model shared a series of photographs on Instagram taken during the fun-filled day, with a caption that read: “Riyadh, how beautiful you are.”
In one of the pictures, she is seen holding large stuffed animals as she stands in front of the Sky Loop ride, which at a height of 43 m holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s tallest portable rollercoaster.
That same week, the couple went on a romantic date night to the French fine dining restaurant Le Maschou.
Rodriguez also shut down the red carpet at the 2023 Joy Awards. The 29-year-old wore a midnight-blue velvet gown by Dubai-based Tunisian designer Ali Karoui, gold pumps from Italian luxury shoemakers Le Silla and jewllery from Baharaini jewelers Kooheji.
Ronaldo also got to celebrate Rodriguez’s birthday in the Kingdom with an evening out at Armenian restaurant Lavash on The Boulevard.
She was welcomed with a three-tier birthday cake that boasted flower designs and gold text that read “Happy Birthday” in Portuguese.
Rodriguez also surprised Ronaldo for his birthday and celebrated his special day, in February, with family and close friends at an intimate gathering.
Ronaldo took to Instagram to share a few snapshots from the day, captioning the post: “Thank you everyone for all the birthday messages. Grateful to have spent the day with my family and friends.”
In the photos, the football superstar can be seen posing in front of a table laden with birthday cakes. Another photo shows Ronaldo taking advantage of the winter weather on what appeared to be a trip to the Saudi desert, complete with a roaring bonfire and traditional tents.
Rodriguez and Ronaldo, who have been in a relationship since 2016, celebrated their first Valentine’s Day in Saudi Arabia with a romantic meal at Clap Riyadh.
Rodriguez posted a photo of their table at the Japanese restaurant, which was decorated with rose petals, on her Instagram page.
The caption that accompanied it read, “With my husband,” though the couple, who have been together for about seven years, are not married.
The Netflix star and her children have supported Ronaldo during his matches with Al-Nassr, wearing the team’s jerseys and cheering him on pitch side at almost every game.
On Friday, Rodriguez took her children to attended Ronaldo’s match with Al-Nassr. He played against Al-Ahli.
“How lucky we are,” Rodriguez wrote on her Instagram stories sharing a video of her children running in the football pitch.
While in Saudi Arabia, Rodriguez has starred in multiple campaigns for Arab brands.
Rodriguez collaborated with Saudi perfume label Laverne and answered questions about her time in the Kingdom in the clip the brand shared.
Riyadh-based Rodriguez said: “I feel very safe in this country and really appreciate its family values” in the video posted on social media in August.
“I felt very happy to be able to connect with this heaven on Earth. The power and magic that is in the Saudi desert is incredible,” she said when asked her thoughts on visiting the country’s desert region earlier this year.
The model went on to share her excitement about experiencing Ramadan in Saudi Arabia.
She was also named the ambassador for Arab brand Amara lenses.
The family left the country for their summer holiday, but returned to Riyadh in August.
When they returned, Rodriguez posted a carousel of images, captioning the post, “Home,” along with a heart emoji.
As Rodriguez continues to embrace life in Saudi Arabia alongside Ronaldo, her journey in Riyadh promises to be a continuing source of fascination for followers across the world. With her enthusiasm for the culture, coupled with her active social media presence, fans can anticipate further glimpses into her adventures and experiences in the heart of the Kingdom.
