Looking east from the steep vantage point of the King Saud University Stadium, the skyline is dominated by the central Riyadh scrapers, each of which has outgrown the others over the years to claim the city's tallest.
Today, a new monster has arrived in town, and it dwarfs them all.
You don't even have to look out the window of top-flight club Al Nassr to find it.
Cristiano Ronaldo is right there, with a global reputation, ego, and, tellingly, a newly-inflated bank balance large enough to put any gleaming structure to shame.
The neon-lit Kingdom Centre, which dominates the horizon, was once billed as the city's highest elevated tower.
This is now Ronaldo's domain.
It was his name in lights, 'Hala Ronaldo' lettering visible through the ticker-tape, fireworks, and sparklers that welcomed him as an Al Nassr player this month.
He is not here to achieve any footballing feats, but he will find plenty of admiration from a youthful, Western-facing, football-obsessed audience.
Yes, this move symbolizes one last cash grab before his playing career comes to an end, but he is not settling in an impoverished footballing culture.
Of course, it is not South America.
It is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
But football is the most popular and fastest-growing sport in the country, a trend that Ronaldo's presence is guaranteed to accelerate.
While the government sees sport as a gateway to the West and acceptance in a world beyond its own borders of human-rights violations, it is nonetheless a journey that a huge portion of the country's population is grateful to go on.
Long before his arrival ceremony, locals were screaming Ronaldo's name at the 25,000-seater King Saud Stadium.
I was there last month, standing amid hundreds on the scorched-grass pitch as Portugal faced Switzerland on the gigantic screen at the heart of Riyadh's World Cup Fan Zone, which we were told was the largest outside of Qatar.
The news of Ronaldo's agreement with Al Nassr had leaked in the Spanish press that same week, and the excitement was obvious in both the stadium and the cabs, cafes, and souks beyond.
Such zeal was moving much faster than their soon-to-be new idol, who had been benched for the quarter-final match.
The irony of Portugal rushing to a 5-1 lead in the absence of their once unstoppable star was lost on the locals.
A shout rang out louder than any of Portugal's goals whenever Ronaldo appeared on the screen, often scowling.
Then, in the 73rd minute, as he was undressed and ready to come on, a throaty chorus of 'Ronaldo, Ronaldo' was blasted into the cool Arabian night.
It was almost like a prayer call.
Those hopes were fulfilled this month when the Ł173 million-per-year contract that will make the 37-year-old the highest-paid athlete in the world was announced.
'It's something beautiful, something wonderful,' said Moosa, a twenty-something Al Nassr enthusiast.
'But don't stop with Ronaldo; we need Messi, we need all of them.
We have been watching these players and playing with them on the PlayStation for many years.
'Everyone in Saudi Arabia loves Ronaldo.
This stadium will be sold out on a daily basis, not just once a week.
'We'll come here and sleep!'
They kept their word, packing every seat and aisle to greet Ronaldo.
He was frequently introduced as "the world's greatest footballer" by scripted authorities, which felt cold and forced, but the affection from the fans made up for it.