Football fans were granted most of their wishes at Hong Kong Stadium on Saturday as the Saudi Super Cup concluded with a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, even if the Portuguese was narrowly denied the silverware.
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Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr may have been beaten by Al-Ahli in a deciding penalty shoot-out, but the plaudits were largely for the man wearing No 7, the organisers’ star asset as they brought the tournament to East Asia for the first time.
A crowd of about 30,000 cheered Ronaldo’s every contribution, with Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui and Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po among those looking on.
“What I heard from the organisers is that the effect and the impact are very satisfactory and they enjoyed having the games in Hong Kong,” Law said.
With the trophy presentation done, the teams headed to the airport to board flights shortly after midnight.
Post-match press conferences were cancelled, leaving no opportunity for organisers to enthuse, but a source with knowledge of high-profile local football events said the Saudi Arabian Football Federation covered the costs, with the stadium and the Football Association of Hong Kong, China each receiving a fee, and “no one here out of pocket”.
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In a hint at discussions to come, a source close to the Saudi association said the visitors were dissatisfied with the venue, calling it “not befitting the quality of players here and this competition”.
They added there was disappointment at the unavailability of Kai Tak Stadium – already booked when this event was finalised in June – and said organisers were keen to explore staging the event in mainland China.