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Cristiano Ronaldo, a legendary footballer with a global fan base, recently met a 24-year-old superfan named Gong, who cycled from China to Saudi Arabia for seven months to meet him. Starting from his home on March 18, Gong arrived at the Al Nassr Football Club on October 20, as the South China Morning Post reported.
Throughout his journey, Gong cycled through several countries, including Kazakhstan, Georgia, Iran, and Qatar, before reaching Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. After Ronaldo’s team learned about Gong’s extraordinary effort, they arranged a meeting outside the Al Nassr Football Club.
During their encounter, Ronaldo signed Gong’s shirt and posed for several photos with him. According to the South China Morning Post, Gong faced numerous challenges. He struggled with language barriers, budget-friendly meals in different countries, and the physical exhaustion of cycling such a vast distance.
Gong’s trip to Riyadh was inspired after Ronaldo had to cancel a planned visit to China in February due to a leg injury. Gong covered an impressive 13,000 kilometres on his bike, carrying essentials like two 60,000mAh power banks, a tent, cooking utensils, clothes, and other necessities. In places where food was costly, he relied on bread and used translation software to communicate with locals. In August, while in Armenia, he fell ill with a high fever and collapsed on the roadside, later receiving free hospital treatment.
Reflecting on the journey, Gong shared that the experience made him more mature and patient and helped him forge new friendships. After reaching Riyadh on October 10, he waited several days to meet Ronaldo, who was in Europe at the time. The Al Nassr FC staff assured him of a brief meeting, which finally happened after he saw Ronaldo play in an Al Nassr vs. Al Shabab match, thanks to a fan who offered him a ticket.
When Gong met Ronaldo, the footballer shook his hand, hugged him, and signed his No. 7 Al Nassr jersey. Ronaldo also autographed a banner with the names of Gong’s friends and inscribed the phrase, “What I dream of is true love and freedom.”
In China, Ronaldo, or “C Luo,” is celebrated for his record-breaking career, boasting over 900 goals and being the most-followed individual on Instagram, with 640 million followers. Gong now plans to visit Portugal, Ronaldo’s hometown, as his next adventure.
