Tomorrow the entire Middle East, like the rest of the world, will be agog as the Portuguese peacock struts his stuff for the first time in the number seven shirt for the Saudi team Al Nassr in an historic friendly against another Arab-owned club, Paris Saint-Germain, Messi, Mbappe et al.

His name is on everyone’s lips, as well as up in lights and on billboards all over Saudi Arabia, where his acquisition is seen as the soccer scoop of the century.

Ronaldo is already adored throughout the desert kingdom. His debut for Al Nassr has been delayed because of the two-match suspension imposed by the English Football Association prior to his departure from Manchester United for smashing a mobile phone from the hand of an Everton fan.

However, among those who will not be watching Ronaldo tomorrow are two young women currently incarcerated for 34-years and 45-years respectively for the "crime" of possessing a Twitter account in which mild criticism of the Saudi Government was expressed.

Even worse, a 65-year-old law professor, Awad Al-Quarmi, is said to be facing the death penalty for the same offence and also using WhatsApp.

Ronaldo has the perfect platform to help right these wrongs. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if before the kickoff tomorrow he grabbed a microphone and declared to the capacity crowd at Riyadh’s King Saud stadium and the millions watching on TV: "I am happy to be here in Saudi Arabia. But I would be even happier if your Government was to pay more attention to human rights. Please start by releasing those you have imprisoned so the world can see the country really is changing for the better."

But of course, he will do no such thing. He’s far too busy shovelling the Saudi shekels - said to be worth a mind boggling £173 million ($213 million/€198 million) a year - into his personal bank account.

At 37, the self-proclaimed "greatest footballer in the world" may have seen better days, but he has never seen richer ones.

It will not faze him in the slightest that he has become the spearhead of Saudi "sportswashing".

They say money can’t buy you love, but the Saudis seem to be convinced that it can buy you a veneer of respectability that enshrouds lingering medieval practices.

However, it is true that there is a growing movement among the young in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern outposts that is genuinely influenced by the region becoming a Mecca for mega sports events. Maybe the tide is turning for the better, but it could certainly be helped on its way by the likes of Ronaldo delivering a few home truths.

At least women can now play and watch sport in Saudi Arabia, where there is a burgeoning women’s football league. But it was not so long ago that they will be forbidden from entering the stadium that is Ronaldo’s new home.

Amnesty International, however, insist that Ronaldo’s signing in just another Saudi "sportswashing" stunt to deflect from the continuing abuse of human rights issues.

It is certainly the latest project inspired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the man behind Saudi’s Public investment Fund recent staging of world heavyweight title fights, motor racing Grand Prix, major tennis tournaments, WWE wrestling, the contentious LIV Golf tour - not to mention the purchase of Premier League Newcastle United.

More sinisterly, he has been accused of orchestrating the macabre murder of dissident journalist Jamal khashoggi. He is also believed to be behind the legislation that needs criminalises the use of social media - this despite the Saudi Government’s investment in both Twitter and Facebook, a situation described as "farcical" by critics.

Meantime, football icon Ronaldo, the modern Lawrence of Arabia will further nourish football’s Arab Spring, which was sparked by Saud’ shock defeat of eventual champions Argentina in the opening round of the FIFA World Cup in neighbouring Qatar’s. It was then accelerated by Morocco’s stunning conquests of Belgium, Spain and Ronaldo’s Portugal to reach the semi-finals, the first Arab or African nation to do so.

Never mind climate change. Football is also changing. If only Ronaldo would speak out perhaps, we might see even more changes in Saudi Arabia too.