The scene of Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo rushing towards Brendan Rodgers after the end of the Al-Qadsiah and Al-Nassr match surprised the fans, as the star appeared smiling despite the atmosphere of the game.

Many wondered about the nature of the relationship between the two, especially since they had not met professionally on the same team during their careers in European fields.

Rodgers later revealed the behind-the-scenes of that moment, confirming that the roots of the relationship go back to a humanitarian situation that brought him together with Ronaldo about 15 years ago.

The coach explained that his mother had wished to meet Ronaldo when he was a player at Manchester United, during the time he worked at Chelsea.

He added that he asked Ronaldo after one of the matches to greet his mother, to which the Portuguese star responded very warmly, spending quality time with her and taking commemorative photos.

Rodgers noted that that moment was extremely impactful for him and his family, especially since his mother passed away later in 2010, making the memory even more valuable to him.

He affirmed that this humane gesture remained etched in his memory and contributed to building a relationship of mutual respect between them over the years, despite their different career paths.

He concluded his remarks by praising Ronaldo, considering him one of the most prominent figures who have influenced global football, and noted his role in drawing attention to the Saudi league recently.