Social media is abuzz with the news that soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo can now be seen in an Israeli television commercial. The 31-year-old Portuguese player has teamed up with Israeli telecom HOT to help promote its fast Internet service.

Ronaldo posted the new commercial on his Facebook feed with the comment: “There are rumors that I’m going to be a star in Israel. Not in soccer… In a HOT commercial.”

Of course, Ronaldo already holds star status among his numerous fans in Israel.

“You are a star in Israel even without the commercial,” reads one comment on his Facebook feed.

“Israel loves you Cristiano! You are the best! Great ad,” reads another.

The commercial on YouTube topped 126,000 views in three days – an astronomical number compared to HOT’s other YouTube selections, many of them with just a few hundred views.

Given that Ronaldo has appeared on the covers of numerous lifestyle magazines with the word “hot” plastered across his body, it made sense for the Israeli cable company HOT to capitalize on that title.

The commercial features three popular local comedians playing the roles of teammates on a mediocre soccer team. They’re expecting a foreign player to join their squad and are surfing the web until he comes. When Ronaldo shows up they try to hide their enthusiasm by claiming their excitement is actually for the new speedy Internet service offered by HOT.

Cristiano Ronaldo. Image via Shutterstock

Ronaldo asks if the Internet is faster than he is, to which two of the players answer “no” but the third says “yes” and goes on to explain what a great deal the cable company is offering. The third player also refers to Ronaldo as neshama, a Hebrew word for“soul” but is used in slang as “my dear.”

Ronaldo answers back sarcastically by telling one of the players, outfitted in No. 7: “Seven is my number, neshama.”