Cristiano Ronaldo has officially moved into club ownership, acquiring a 25% stake in Spanish second-division side UD Almeria.
The 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward completed the deal through his newly formed CR7 Sports Investments. He joins a Saudi-led consortium headed by Mohammed Al-Khereiji, who praised Ronaldo’s “unmatched knowledge” of the Spanish leagues.
“It has been a long-held ambition of mine to contribute to football beyond the pitch,” Ronaldo said in a statement. “UD Almeria has strong foundations and clear potential for growth.”
Almeria is owned by the SMC Group, which has deep ties to Saudi Arabian investment.
Almeria currently sits third in the Segunda Division, just two points off the lead with 15 games remaining.
While Ronaldo remains the world’s highest-paid player with a £177m annual salary in the Saudi Pro League, this move marks a significant step toward his post-playing career in the country where he scored a record 450 goals for Real Madrid.
