Thousands gathered at the Al Wasl Plaza stage last week as the football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo visited the Expo 2020 Dubai. Amidst a deafening cheer, they caught the first glimpse of a football legend.

As he visited the expo, he addressed the event through a public Q&A session that took place at Al Wasl Plaza as part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s Health & Wellness Week. During the session, he spoke about Expo 2020 Dubai and how health and fitness are vital for everybody in the world, regardless of their culture or religion.

“Health is the most important thing and [we] have to take care of our body, our mind … It doesn’t matter about cultures or religions, because we are all the same, the football star said, adding, “I’m going to be 37 soon and I’m still playing – I treat my body good, I take care of my body. It doesn’t matter the age – it matters what you give to your mind and your body.”

Ronaldo also had positive words for Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE, and added, “I think Dubai do unbelievable work to make all these countries (come) together – 192 different cultures, different mentalities, so it’s great …It’s amazing to put all cultures together to learn from each other. I think it’s fantastic.”

“I love Dubai because they treat me unbelievably – I love the people, I love the culture, and I come here every year,” he quipped.

As he spoke to the crowd, thousands of fans were seen sporting jerseys and T-shirts with the star’s photo on them as he waved out to them. “I never expected such a grand welcome with such a huge crowd,” he said.