Cristiano Ronaldo's team Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia has drawn a draw to play in the Asian Champions League 2 with Indian team FC Goa, as well as Istiqlal of Tajikistan and Al-Zawraa of Iraq. The top two teams in the group will advance.
"This is truly a unique moment for FC Goa," the club's director Ravi Puskur was quoted by the AP as saying, BTA reported.
"Hosting Al Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo is without a doubt the biggest match in the history of Indian football," he added.
The 40-year-old Ronaldo has yet to win a major trophy since joining the club from Riyadh in 2022. His team finished third place in the Saudi Pro League last season, and this summer also attracted former Liverpool star Sadio Mane and Portuguese Joao Felix from Chelsea.
"This is historic for Indian football. We are here on merit and a match like this will give us the opportunity to show that we can compete at a continental level, as part of the best," said Puskur.
"This is a unique opportunity for the world of Indian football to pay attention and most importantly - a chance to ignite the sport among fans in the country," the director added.
The draw comes against the backdrop of a crisis in Indian football. Bengaluru FC, Odisha FC and Chennaiyin FC are on a salary freeze until a solution is found to their financial problems.