According to official figures from the Saudi authorities, in January of this year 1,200 Portuguese citizens held resident cards in the country, said Nuno Mathias, in statements to Lusa, during an official visit by the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Castro Almeida, to the Saudi capital this week.

The Portuguese residing in the Saudi kingdom are scattered throughout the country and work “in practically all sectors,” such as sports, architecture, engineering, technology, consulting, medicine, nursing, or higher education, the diplomat listed.

The Portuguese presence is particularly noticeable in the Arab football league, where Portuguese is the second most spoken language – among players, notably Cristiano Ronaldo, a player for Al-Nassr, and members of technical commissions.

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

According to the ambassador, “in all the megaprojects, there is a Portuguese person,” referring to the large urban and cultural projects underway in the country, within the framework of the so-called ‘Vision 2030’, a strategic plan launched in 2016 by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to diversify the country's economy beyond oil.

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

The ambassador highlighted that the community has been "a great support in promoting Portuguese culture," with the organisation of cultural events, film series, and music performances.