Cristiano Ronaldo extends contract with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr. — X/@AlNassrFC
Cristiano Ronaldo inked a two-year extension with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, the membership introduced on Thursday, following months of hypothesis over which staff he would signal for subsequent season.
Minutes earlier than the official affirmation, the staff posted a teaser video, with the 40-year-old Ronaldo strolling alongside a beachfront and saying: “Al Nassr forever”.
The Portuguese celebrity arrived in 2023 within the kingdom to play with the membership, heralding a rush of gamers within the latter phases of their careers to the oil-rich nation.
Final month, Ronaldo posted “This chapter is over” hours after the Saudi Professional League wrapped up with Al Nassr ending third and trophyless as soon as once more.
“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 supply from the Public Funding Fund (PIF), a serious investor in Saudi soccer, instructed AFP final month.
The oil-funded PIF, the sovereign wealth fund behind a variety of big-ticket Saudi investments, controls a gaggle of Professional League golf equipment together with Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli.
Ronaldo’s announcement in Might got here simply months after Brazilian star Neymar ended his injury-plagued 18-month keep in January, after enjoying simply seven instances for Al Hilal — on a reported wage of round $104 million a yr.
Though Ronaldo was the Professional League’s high scorer with 25 targets, he has been unable to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, who misplaced within the Asian Champions League semi-finals final month.
Final yr, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner stated he may finish his profession with Al Nassr, the Riyadh staff favoured by a variety of Saudi royals.
Saudi Arabia has shaken up soccer by spending closely on stars from Europe, beginning with Ronaldo’s transfer in late 2022, and the desert nation will host the World Cup in 2034.
For the previous two years, Saudi soccer followers may watch the likes of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, with six Ballons d’Or between them, on any given weekend in the course of the soccer season within the kingdom.
Nonetheless, the oil-fuelled Saudi soccer mission has drawn comparisons with the Chinese language Tremendous League, which imported gamers on exorbitant salaries till staff house owners went bust because the Chinese language financial system fizzled.
However with Saudi Arabia set to host the 2034 World Cup, and determined to re-model itself as a tourism and enterprise magnet earlier than world oil demand falls for good, there may be in all probability extra to come back from the Professional League.
Ronaldo appeared to commerce an end-of-career payday for soccer obscurity when he first moved to Riyadh’s Al Nassr two years in the past in a deal stated to be value $250 million on the time.
