Cristiano Ronaldo acquires 25 per cent stake in Spanish second-division club
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has officially become one of the owners of the Spanish second-division club, UD Almeria, after acquiring a 25 per cent stake in the club.
Through an official statement, Ronaldo revealed that this move is part of his ambition to continue contributing to the world of football.
“It has long been my ambition to contribute to football, not only on the pitch,” said Ronaldo, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano on Thursday.
“UD Almeria is a Spanish club with a strong foundation and clear growth potential. I look forward to working with the management team to support the club’s next phase of development.”
According to a report by the Daily Mail, the 41-year-old Al-Nassr striker purchased the Almeria shares through his newly formed investment company, CR7 Sports Investments.
The club is currently owned by a Saudi Arabian investment consortium led by Mohammed Al-Khereiji.
Although the transaction value has not been disclosed, Ronaldo has affirmed his commitment to helping the club develop in the long term, together with the existing management.
The president of Almeria, Mohammed Al-Khereiji, welcomed the arrival of the Portuguese national team captain.
He believes that Ronaldo’s experience in European football, especially in Spain, will be a great asset to the club’s project.
“Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest players of all time. He has a deep understanding of the competition in Spain and understands the potential we are building, both for the first team and the academy,” said Al-Khereiji.
The SMC Group consortium, owned by Al-Khereiji, took over ownership of Almeria from Turki Al-Sheikh last year.
Ronaldo himself had a brilliant career in Spanish football when he played for Real Madrid. During his nine seasons in Madrid, he won two LaLiga titles and four Champions League trophies before moving to Juventus in 2018.
Since 2022, Ronaldo has played for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League and is currently the highest-paid footballer in the world, with a salary of around 177 million pounds per year.
Meanwhile, UD Almeria, which was founded in 1989, is currently in third place in the Segunda Division standings.
They are only two points behind the league leaders, Real Racing, with 15 matches remaining this season.