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TEHRAN, IRAN - SEP. 18, 2023: Thousands of Iranians lined up outside airport in the capital Tehran to welcome Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo, a forward for Saudi football club Al-Nassr, arrived at the Imam Khomeini International Airport in southern Tehran on Monday ahead of his team’s face off against Iran’s Persepolis club in the AFC Champions League on Tuesday. The world football star was welcomed upon arrival by Iranian football legend Ali Daei and senior officials. Thousands of fans had stationed themselves outside the airport for a fleeting glimpse of their favorite footballer, who is visiting Iran for the first time. Several banners welcoming Ronaldo and his teammates have been put up across the Iranian capital. As the cavalcade of buses carrying Al-Nassr players, including Ronaldo, made its way from the airport to their hotel in north Tehran, people were seen frantically chasing the buses. The videos of visibly emotional football fans waving at the Portuguese football star, who holds the world record for international goals, were widely shared on social media. Some videos showed people swarming the hills around the hotel where Ronaldo is staying, hoping for a chance to meet him. Many fans also stormed the hotel, as some videos showed. One little boy wearing Ronaldo's Al-Nassr jersey was seen crying for not being able to enter the hotel premises.m(Footage by Eisa Mohammadi /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)