Manchester United returnee, Cristiano Ronaldo has started preparing for retirement. Recently, he went to one of the most luxurious parts of Portugal, the Portuguese Riviera, to buy a large plot of land.
Portuguese Riviera is the nickname for Quinta da Marinha, Cascais, an elite settlement located on the west coast of Portugal.
Reports claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo bought the plot of land on which he planned to build a £7 million mansion. Reports also claimed that the former Real Madrid and Juventus football icon plans to settle in the mansion with his family when he retires from football.
Ronaldo who is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time is already 36-year-old which is around the age most footballers retire from the game. This means that in a couple of years, he would become an ex-footballer.
From all indications, Ronaldo is not planning to settle down in Manchester when his contract with Manchester United expires or when he retires from football. He plans to return to his country where he started his illustrious football career.
Recall that Cristiano Ronaldo started his professional football career with Spotting Lisbon on July 1, 2002. A year after, he joined Manchester United for €19 million on August 12, 2003.
After six years at Manchester United, he moved to Real Madrid on July 6, 2009, for €94 million, a then world-transfer record.
After a successful 9 years at Real Madrid, the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner joined Juventus for €117 million. Cristiano Ronaldo spent three years at Juventus before he returned to Manchester United on August 31, 2021, for €15 million.
The Portuguese star currently has less than two years in his contract with Manchester United. This means that his contract with the club will expire when Ronaldo is about 38-year-old.
Even if he could play to that age, he might not be able to play beyond the age of 41 which means that he has at least four years of professional football to play.
A report by Daily Mail claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo has started building his family and retirement home on the new plot of land.
Two Portuguese media outfits have given two contradicting reports concerning the ongoing project. Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha claimed that the ongoing project is a part of Ronaldo’s property empire.
On the other hand, a Portuguese television station, TV 7 Dias said the ongoing project is a place Ronaldo intends to make his family home.
According to reports, the land has already been fenced and a house owner in the area claimed that Ronaldo planned to settle there with his family.
When the project is completed, that will make it the second private home Ronaldo has in Portugal. Earlier in his career, he built an apartment for his 66-year-old mother, Maria Dolores in Funchal, Madeira. She stays there with Ronaldo’s younger brother Hugo Aveiro.
The player reportedly spent some time at the apartment with his lover, Georgina Rodriguez. He also owns mansions in Madrid, Spain, and Turin, Italy.
However, the footballer prefers a new house for his growing family. He currently has four children – Cristiano Jr., Eva, Mateo, and Alana Martina. His lover is currently pregnant with a boy and a girl.
