Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly departed Saudi Arabia for Madrid, Spain, following escalating regional tensions sparked by recent coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.
Ronaldo, who captains Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr FC, left Riyadh late at night aboard his £61million ($81million) Bombardier Global Express 6500 private jet, according to a report by the UK Daily Mail on Tuesday.
Flight tracking platform Flightradar24 confirmed that the aircraft departed Riyadh at 8:00 pm and landed in Madrid at approximately 1:00 am, flying over Egypt and the Mediterranean.
The reported exit comes amid rising security fears across the Gulf region after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes in Iran on February 28, 2026. The operation reportedly resulted in the deaths of several top Iranian leaders.
Iranian state media announced early March 1 that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had been killed in the strikes, declaring 40 days of national mourning and a seven-day public holiday.
Tensions deepened overnight after two drones struck the United States Embassy Riyadh, igniting a limited fire.
The Saudi Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident, stating, “A limited fire broke out at the United States Embassy in Riyadh after it was hit by two drones,” adding that the attack caused minor material damage.
Riyadh, where Ronaldo resides with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and their five children, has reportedly been affected by attacks linked to the widening regional conflict.
The United States has since heightened security measures across the Middle East. The United States Department of State announced the temporary shutdown of several embassies and the suspension of consular services in multiple countries, citing serious safety concerns tied to the escalating Iran crisis.
In Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Embassy suspended both routine and emergency services across its missions in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran.
In neighbouring Iraq, nonemergency U.S. government personnel were ordered to leave the country, while American staff were restricted from using Baghdad’s international airport.
Kuwait has also witnessed deadly incidents involving American troops, including the reported deaths of six soldiers and the crash of three fighter jets in what the U.S. military described as an “apparent friendly fire” episode.
Ronaldo’s sudden departure underscores the growing anxiety among high-profile expatriates in the Gulf as uncertainty continues to grip the region.