Ronaldo Steps into Club Ownership: A New Chapter Beyond the Pitch
Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary football icon, has long spoken of his aspirations to transition from player to owner. Now, at 38 and having embarked on his journey with Saudi club Al Nassr, that ambition is becoming a reality. In a significant move that signals a clear roadmap for his post-playing career, Ronaldo has acquired a 25 per cent stake in Spanish second-division side UD Almeria through his CR7 Sports Investments company.
This acquisition marks a poignant return to Spanish football for Ronaldo, who spent nine trophy-laden seasons gracing the pitches of Real Madrid before his departure for Juventus in 2018. While the exact financial details of the purchase remain undisclosed, it represents a substantial step towards his stated goal of contributing to the sport beyond his dazzling on-field performances.
“It has been a longtime ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch,” Ronaldo stated in a recent declaration. “UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth. I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the club’s next phase of growth.”
This strategic investment is being widely interpreted as a clear indication that Ronaldo’s illustrious playing career is nearing its twilight. While he continues to “enjoy the moment” on the field, he has previously indicated that his participation in the upcoming World Cup would be his last, estimating he has only “a further year or two left in the legs.” This sentiment echoes his earlier, more light-hearted remarks about potentially playing for another decade, underscoring the reality that even for a supremely conditioned athlete, football careers are finite.
The groundwork for this new venture arguably began in earnest following his contentious exit from Manchester United in 2022. Reports suggest that Saudi businessman Mohamed Al Khereiji, who played a pivotal role in facilitating Ronaldo’s lucrative move to Al Nassr, has remained a close associate. Al Khereiji heads the Saudi investment group, SMC, which notably acquired Almeria from Turki Al-Sheikh, a prominent Saudi government official and influential figure in the boxing world.
“We are very pleased that Cristiano has chosen our club to invest in,” commented Al Khereiji. “He is regarded as the greatest to ever play the game, he knows the Spanish leagues very well and he understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the academy.”
A Rare Transition: From Player to Principal
The traditional paths for retired footballers typically involve coaching or punditry. Venturing into club ownership is a less common, yet increasingly viable, route for those with the requisite profile and financial clout. Ronaldo, much like contemporaries such as David Beckham, owner of MLS side Inter Miami, and Kylian Mbappe, who holds a majority stake in SM Caen, possesses the global brand recognition and substantial financial resources to navigate the complexities of club ownership.
Ronaldo’s career has been nothing short of extraordinary, propelling him into a financial stratosphere few athletes ever reach. He is widely recognised as the highest-paid player in the sport’s history, reportedly earning an annual salary of £177 million. Financial experts at Bloomberg have estimated his net worth to be around £1.04 billion, a figure derived from a comprehensive analysis of his career earnings, investments, and endorsement deals, adjusted for market performance and tax rates. His substantial earnings in Saudi Arabia have been credited with catapulting him to the top of the highest-earning sportspeople rankings, even surpassing long-time rival Lionel Messi in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Beyond the Field: A Portfolio of Investments and Luxuries
Ronaldo’s financial empire extends far beyond his playing salary. His lifetime deal with Nike, reportedly worth a staggering £745 million, stands as his most significant commercial agreement. He also maintains lucrative partnerships with a host of other global brands, including Tag Heuer, Armani, PokerStars, Samsung, Unilever, and Louis Vuitton, among many others.
His personal life also reflects his immense wealth. He is currently overseeing the construction of an extravagant, sprawling complex back in his homeland, a project reportedly costing £28 million. Renderings of the lavish property, often showcased by his supporters, depict a vision of unparalleled luxury. He is frequently seen adorned with some of the world’s most expensive jewellery and timepieces, including a Franck Muller Invisible Baguette Diamonds Imperial Tourbillon valued at £1.13 million.
While his longevity on the pitch has undoubtedly contributed to his accumulated fortune, Ronaldo is also known for his penchant for significant investments. He is reportedly developing a “hospital-sized” mansion on the Portuguese Riviera, a project that has experienced delays exceeding two years. CGI images of the proposed estate, shared by his eager fanbase, offer a glimpse into its ambitious design, which is rumoured to include a vast glass swimming pool with an underwater walkway and a master bedroom spanning 1,000 square feet, potentially making it Portugal’s most expensive property development. This dedication to building a luxurious off-pitch life complements his continuous efforts to expand his business portfolio.
Echoes of Ownership Ambitions: From Manchester United to Almeria
Ronaldo’s foray into club ownership is not entirely without precedent in his recent career reflections. Approximately 14 months prior to this announcement, he alluded to a potential ownership role at Manchester United. During the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards in December 2024, he expressed his belief that the club’s struggles extended beyond on-field issues, suggesting deeper systemic problems.
“The Premier League is the most difficult league in the world,” he remarked. “All the teams are good, all the teams fight, all the teams run, all the teams are strong. Football is different right now. There’s no easy games anymore. They need, I said this one year and a half ago, and I will continue to say it: The problem is not the coaches, it’s like… I always give this example… it’s like an aquarium. If you have the fish inside and he’s sick and you take him out and you fix the problem and you put him again in an aquarium, you will be sick again. The problem of Manchester United is the same. The problem is not always the coach. It’s much more than that. If I will be the owner of the club, I will make things clear and adjust things that are bad there.”
These statements followed his explosive interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV in 2021, which ultimately contributed to the end of his second tenure at Manchester United. In that interview, Ronaldo openly criticised the club’s co-owners, Joel and Avram Glazer, alleging their lack of genuine care for the club’s sporting success.
“The owners of the club, the Glazers, they don’t care about the club,” he stated. “I mean, professional sport, as you know this, Manchester (United) is a marketing club. They will get its money from the marketing – the sport, they don’t really care, in my opinion. You have some things inside the club which don’t help Manchester (United) reach the top level as City, Liverpool and even now Arsenal, for example… which is complicated, it’s difficult.”
Ronaldo’s acquisition of a stake in UD Almeria signifies a concrete move to translate his critical insights and aspirations into tangible action, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his extraordinary footballing journey.
