Cristiano Ronaldo is set to play for Al-Nassr from January 1, 2023. The Portuguese footballer will join on a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Saudi Arabian side, MARCA reported.
Just a few days before the World Cup in Qatar, the striker severed his ties with Manchester United, freeing him to engage in negotiations with any team.
Despite the assertions that clubs in the Champions League would be lining up to sign him, Al-Nassr was the one who first displayed more interest. Cristiano had hoped to continue competing in the top club league in Europe.
The contract includes a large signing-on fee of just under 100 million euros as well as financial incentives through advertising, making the Portuguese athlete the highest-paid in the world. CR7’s contract with Al-Nassr will be valued close to 200 million euros annually in total.
Lionel Messi and Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain currently lead the way, but the 75 and 70 million euros that they earn per season fall far short of what Cristiano Ronaldo will receive in Saudi Arabia. Even going through the list of the highest-paid athletes in the United States, they all fall far short of the money promised to the Portuguese.
Cristiano Ronaldo will find himself in a team that is looking to regain its lost dominance in its competition, which is a long way off the world’s elite. The step backwards he is taking in sporting terms is evident, but his own level has declined a lot in recent seasons and he is even being criticized in Portugal.
At Al-Nassr, he will be coached by the Frenchman Rudi Garcia and will be partnered by Alvaro Gonzalez. The central defender arrived in Saudi football last summer after finishing his time in France.
