Following his acrimonious departure from Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo has joined the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. This news made all football betting fans in the Arab world happy.
“The world’s greatest athlete, officially signed for Al Nassr,” read a tweet from the club’s official account, which included a photo of Ronaldo holding a signed No. 7 shirt.
Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Riyadh late Monday afternoon. His private plane touched down to a rousing welcome, as if he were a head of state. He arrives with the status of a world star that transcends sport, as evidenced by the 200 million euros guaranteed in his contract, a contract never before signed by a footballer.
“History in the making,” tweeted the Riyadh club’s English account. “This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome @Cristiano to your new home.” Ronaldo’s Instagram account also featured the photo and statement.
Saudi Arabia’s ties with the striker will last until 2030, though his commitment as a footballer will end on June 30, 2025. A deal with a commission of nearly 30 million euros, in which Jorge Mendes does not appear and Ricardo Regufe does.
He was introduced as Al Nassr’s new player on Tuesday, when he met Rudi Garcia, his new coach, and his teammates in the Saudi adventure that, according to the script, will extend far beyond his contract as a footballer. His first and foremost goal is for his new team to reclaim dominance and become champions, and then to become the country’s reference point.
After a series of explosive TV interviews in which he claimed he “felt betrayed” by the club he rejoined from Juventus in 2021, the 37-year-old left United by mutual consent in November. “I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never change, [but] it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge,” Ronaldo stated as he exited Old Trafford.
The fifth club in Ronaldo’s career is Al Nassr, which is currently second in the Saudi league. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has won the Champions League four times with Real Madrid and once with United during a career that began with Sporting in Portugal and has seen him score more than 700 club goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a contract extension until June 30, 2025 as a footballer. This contract is worth 225 million euros, but it comes with a slew of “business issues” that have delayed the official signing of an agreement reached in the middle of the World Cup.
The former Real Madrid player will continue his career in a competition away from the spotlight, but his ambition will not be abandoned at Barajas Airport. Not at all. He is taking on a different challenge, but he has realized that his trip to Saudi Arabia has a component that goes far beyond the sporting aspect. Cristiano will become a draw to promote the country at all levels. It’s a challenge, and the Portuguese says he’s up for it.
No club that follows the rules of a competition can afford to pay that 200 million euros, so Cristiano Ronaldo has assumed significant advertising contracts, appearances at events to promote Saudi Arabia, and assumed the image of that bid to organize the World Cup they are seeking for 2030 or 2034. He’ll be speaking in the first person. All of this means that Al Nassr will face no legal issues in comparison to other clubs. They have thus managed to make the contract amount very appealing.
Furthermore, the contract states that Cristiano Ronaldo will live in a luxury home, will have a plane for trips to Spain and Portugal, and will be given special attention to what he and his family may require.
The current league leaders, Al Nassr, want to build a team tailored to the Portuguese. As previously reported, they aspire to be the Arab Real Madrid, which is why they are pursuing Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric. With the market already open, there will be departures from the current squad as well as signings of players capable of raising the group’s level.
The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo will have a cascading effect on the rest of the teams, at least those vying for the title, in their search for reinforcements, particularly with players with international name and weight. It should not be forgotten that another Saudi Arabian team approached Cristiano Ronaldo last summer.
