New Delhi: Cristiano Ronaldo on Friday signed for Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia in a deal believed to be worth more than 200 million euros, the club announced. The 37-year-old penned a contract which will take him to June 2025. “I can’t wait to discover a new football league in a different country,” the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus player was quoted as saying by AFP. The Portuguese star was pictured on the Al Nassr Twitter feed holding a blue and yellow shirt with his favoured number seven printed on the back.
“The vision with which Al Nassr operates is very inspiring, and I am delighted to join my teammates, so that together we can help the team achieve greater success,” he added.
History in the making. 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 @AlNassrFC pic.twitter.com/oan7nu8NWC
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) December 30, 2022
Al Nassr has won nine Saudi Arabian league titles, the last in 2019.
“This is more than history in the making. 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 @alnassr_fc,” tweeted the Saudis.
Notably, United parted ways with the Portuguese star after the veteran forward gave an explosive TV interview in which he said he felt “betrayed” by the club and had no respect for coach Erik ten Hag. United terminated his contract while Ronaldo was with Portugal at the World Cup.
Ronaldo has long been one of the top-paid players in football. His salary was a reported 31 million euros at Juventus, although the Turin club’s accounts are being investigated for possibly under-reporting what they paid players.
For Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo is the latest high-priced sporting jewel acquired to add lustre to their international image.
Ronaldo has long been in competition with Lionel Messi for the titles of greatest player and biggest earner in football.
Messi pulled away from Ronaldo on the field by winning a World Cup, but the sums of money the Portuguese star will reportedly receive in Riyadh, far surpasses what the Argentine is making from Paris Saint-Germain.
Ronaldo has won five Champions League titles (2008, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), league titles in Italy (2019, 2020) with Juventus, in Spain (2012, 2017) with Real Madrid and in England (2007, 2008, 2009) with United.
