Cristiano Ronaldo to stay at Al Nassr until 2027
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Cristiano Ronaldo inked a two-year extension with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr, the club announced Thursday, following months of speculation over which team he would sign for next season.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is staying at @AlNassrFC until 2027," the club wrote in a post on X.
Minutes before the official confirmation, the team posted a teaser video, with the 40-year-old Ronaldo walking along a beachfront and saying: "Al Nassr forever".
The Portuguese superstar arrived in 2023 in the kingdom to play with the club, heralding a rush of players in the latter stages of their careers to the oil-rich country.
Last month, Ronaldo posted "This chapter is over" hours after the Saudi Pro League wrapped up with Al Nassr finishing third and trophyless once again.
"Ronaldo's presence is a key factor in developing the Saudi league in the last two years and a half. He opens the door for elite and young players to come to Saudi Arabia," a source from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a major investor in Saudi football, said last month.
The oil-funded PIF, the sovereign wealth fund behind a number of big-ticket Saudi investments, controls a group of Pro League clubs including Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli.
Ronaldo's announcement in May came just months after Brazilian star Neymar ended his injury-plagued 18-month stay in January, after playing just seven times for Al Hilal — on a reported salary of around $104 million a year.
Although Ronaldo was the Pro League's top scorer with 25 goals, he has been unable to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, who lost in the Asian Champions League semi-finals last month.
Last year, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner said he could end his career with Al Nassr, the Riyadh team favoured by a number of Saudi royals.
Saudi Arabia has shaken up football by spending heavily on stars from Europe, starting with Ronaldo's move in late 2022, and the desert nation will host the World Cup in 2034.
For the past two years, Saudi football fans could watch the likes of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, with six Ballons d'Or between them, on any given weekend during the football season in the kingdom.
However, the oil-fuelled Saudi football project has drawn comparisons with the Chinese Super League, which imported players on exorbitant salaries until team owners went bust as the Chinese economy fizzled.
But with Saudi Arabia set to host the 2034 World Cup, and desperate to re-model itself as a tourism and business magnet before global oil demand falls for good, there is probably more to come from the Pro League.
Ronaldo appeared to trade an end-of-career payday for football obscurity when he first moved to Riyadh's Al Nassr two years ago in a deal said to be worth $250 million at the time. — AFP
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Cristiano Ronaldo renews Al Nassr deal till 2027
Taking to X, Ronaldo posted, "A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let's make history together." Cristiano Ronaldo renews Al Nassr deal till 2027. The superstar footballer signed with the Club in 2022 after the World Cup that year, leaving Manchester United to become a free agent. His deal was for two and a half years. Across all competitions for the club, he has netted 93 goals in 105 matches. The deal made him the highest-paid athlete worldwide and he has been topping this list for last three years, as per Forbes. At the age of 40, Ronaldo's total earnings are estimated to be around $275 million. Showing no signs of ageing and decline, he led Portugal to the UEFA Nations League title earlier this month, defeating Spain in the final. With 932 goals scored already, he is also aiming to reach 1,000 goals. On club level, he has 794 goals while for Portugal, he has found the net 138 times. Even though Ronaldo has won the Arab Club Champions Cup with Al Nassr, he is yet to win the SPL title, as the team finished runners-up in 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons and third in 2024-25 season. The club's sporting director Fernando Hierro said back in May that it was keen to have the superstar sign a new deal and also suggested they had some competition from other clubs to gain the veteran's services once again. His words came after Ronaldo had hinted that the season's finale at Al-Fateh was his last appearance for the club.
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Cristiano Ronaldo to stay at Al Nassr until 2027
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Cristiano Ronaldo inked a two-year extension with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr, the club announced Thursday, following months of speculation over which team he would sign for next season. "Cristiano Ronaldo is staying at @AlNassrFC until 2027," the club wrote in a post on X. Minutes before the official confirmation, the team posted a teaser video, with the 40-year-old Ronaldo walking along a beachfront and saying: "Al Nassr forever". The Portuguese superstar arrived in 2023 in the kingdom to play with the club, heralding a rush of players in the latter stages of their careers to the oil-rich country. Last month, Ronaldo posted "This chapter is over" hours after the Saudi Pro League wrapped up with Al Nassr finishing third and trophyless once again. "Ronaldo's presence is a key factor in developing the Saudi league in the last two years and a half. He opens the door for elite and young players to come to Saudi Arabia," a source from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a major investor in Saudi football, said last month. The oil-funded PIF, the sovereign wealth fund behind a number of big-ticket Saudi investments, controls a group of Pro League clubs including Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli. Ronaldo's announcement in May came just months after Brazilian star Neymar ended his injury-plagued 18-month stay in January, after playing just seven times for Al Hilal — on a reported salary of around $104 million a year. Although Ronaldo was the Pro League's top scorer with 25 goals, he has been unable to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, who lost in the Asian Champions League semi-finals last month. Last year, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner said he could end his career with Al Nassr, the Riyadh team favoured by a number of Saudi royals. Saudi Arabia has shaken up football by spending heavily on stars from Europe, starting with Ronaldo's move in late 2022, and the desert nation will host the World Cup in 2034. For the past two years, Saudi football fans could watch the likes of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, with six Ballons d'Or between them, on any given weekend during the football season in the kingdom. However, the oil-fuelled Saudi football project has drawn comparisons with the Chinese Super League, which imported players on exorbitant salaries until team owners went bust as the Chinese economy fizzled. But with Saudi Arabia set to host the 2034 World Cup, and desperate to re-model itself as a tourism and business magnet before global oil demand falls for good, there is probably more to come from the Pro League. Ronaldo appeared to trade an end-of-career payday for football obscurity when he first moved to Riyadh's Al Nassr two years ago in a deal said to be worth $250 million at the time. — AFP
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