Official figures from Saudi authorities reveal that as of January this year, 1,200 Portuguese nationals held residence cards in the country, according to Nuno Mathias, who spoke to Lusa during an official visit by the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Castro Almeida, to the Saudi capital this week.

Portuguese residents in Saudi Arabia are scattered across the nation and are employed in virtually all sectors, including sports, architecture, engineering, technology, consultancy, medicine, nursing, and higher education, according to the diplomat.

The presence of Portuguese nationals is particularly significant in the Arab football league, where Portuguese is the second most spoken language among players, notably including Cristiano Ronaldo of Al-Nassr, and members of technical teams.

“It is essentially an expatriate community that is very integrated and involved,” commented Nuno Mathias.

According to the ambassador, “in all the mega-projects, there is a Portuguese,” referencing large-scale urban and cultural projects underway as part of the ‘Vision 2030’, a strategic plan launched in 2016 by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to diversify the economy beyond oil.

This plan includes projects such as Expo 2030; the 2034 FIFA World Cup; Qiddiya, a future entertainment and sports hub that will house the future stadium and training center of Al-Nassr; King Salman Park, which is set to become the world’s largest urban park in the Saudi capital; the futuristic city Neom, or luxury tourism projects along the Red Sea coast.

The ambassador emphasized that the community has been “a great support in promoting Portuguese culture,” with the organization of cultural events, film cycles, and music performances.