Match against Ronaldo's Al-Nassr 'once-in-a-lifetime moment' for Indian club FC Goa

Cristiano Ronaldo will travel to India to face FC Goa in an Asian Champions League Two match being hailed as "historic" in the country.

Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia and its superstars were drawn Friday against the Indian Super League (ISL) club in Group D of Asia's second-tier club competition, along with Istiklol of Tajikistan and Iraq's Al-Zawraa. The top two from each of the eight groups advance to the second round.

"This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment for FC Goa," club CEO Ravi Puskur told The Associated Press. "To host Al-Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the biggest game in Indian club football history."

Ronaldo, 40, has yet to win a major trophy since signing for the Riyadh club in 2022 and the team is expected to be at full strength when the action starts in September

Al-Nassr, which finished third in the Saudi Pro League last season, also boasts famous names such as former Liverpool star Sadio Mane and Joao Felix, the Portuguese forward who signed from Chelsea in July.

"For Indian football, this is historic," Puskur added. "We are here on merit, and a match like this gives us the chance to show that we can compete on the continental stage, becoming part of the sport's biggest narratives."

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