Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a £175 million-a-year contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr after leaving Manchester United in November.
After leaving United in the wake of his controversial and damaging interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo, 37, remained a free agent for over a month.
According to reports, Ronaldo’s contract with the Saudi’s club will last for seven years. The Portuguese superstar is expected to play before accepting an ambassadorial position, and his salary would rise with time.
His choice to relocate to Saudi Arabia basically puts an end to his distinguished career in Europe. It is believed that Ronaldo had hoped to join a Champions League team, but that failed to happen.
According to reports, one of his duties as an ambassador will be to support Saudi Arabia’s joint candidacy with Egypt and Greece to host the 2030 World Cup.
He joins Lionel Messi in accepting a promotional job with the Gulf country, which has come under fire for its record on human rights issues as well as crackdowns on those who support women’s rights, identify as LGBTQ+, or speak out against Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s leadership.
Ronaldo first denied rumors that he had agreed to join the Saudi team, with sources close to the star telling Sportsmail that such rumors were “nonsense.”
One of the most successful clubs in Saudi Arabia is Al-Nassr, which has won the nation’s top division nine times, the most recent of which was in 2019.
Ronaldo acknowledged that the summer offer he turned down from an undisclosed Saudi Arabian club for two seasons was indeed worth €350 million (£310 million).
Ronaldo shocked United executives by telling the team he wanted to go during the summer transfer window, leading to links to Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, and Napoli.
Following his explosive interview with Morgan, Ronaldo abruptly left United in November after making a triumphant return to Old Trafford in September 2021.
His departure after a tumultuous second stint at the club was mutually agreed upon, but Sportsmail has discovered United did not make up any lost wages for the final seven months of his £500,000-per-week deal at Old Trafford.
In response to the interview, United’s attorneys have been attempting to renegotiate his contract.
Ronaldo told Morgan during the interview that he felt deceived by the team and had no respect for Erik ten Hag, the manager of United.
Additionally, Ronaldo criticized the way the Glazers were managing United and his teammates.
Four days after the second segment of the interview aired, Ten Hag, the Glazers, chief executive Richard Arnold, and football director John Murtough made the decision to split ways with the Portuguese star.
Why did Cristiano Ronaldo Leave Manchester United?
Following his explosive chat with Piers Morgan, Cristiano Ronaldo departed Manchester United of his own free will.
United said in a 67-word statement that they and the 37-year-old forward had come to a mutual decision to end his contract.
Ronaldo stated that he felt “betrayed” by the team and had “no respect” for manager Erik ten Hag in the TalkTV interview, which was shown in two sections over the course of the same week.
The Portuguese captain, who represented his nation at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022, also alleged that United hierarchy members were attempting to oust him from Old Trafford and cast doubt on his explanation for missing preseason training because his daughter was hospitalized.
He left United due to the conflict, and his son did the same.
How Wealthy Is Al Nassr?
Al Nassr was founded in 1955, and they have a prize collection that is virtually as extensive as any of Ronaldo’s past teams.
They have won three Federation Cups, the King’s Cup six times, the Saudi Super Cup twice, the King’s Cup three times, and the Crown Prince’s Cup three times.
The team won the GCC Champions League twice and completed a hat trick by winning both the Asian Cup Winners’ Cup and the Asian Super Cup in 1998.
That qualified them for the 2000 World Club Cup, where they had mixed success and lost to Ronaldo’s future team, Real Madrid, 3-1.
The Saudi Arabian powerhouse Clubside is worth a whooping sum of £59.10 million and they are one of the most successful clubs in the country.
