Al-Nassr emphatically reject Cristiano Ronaldo World Cup claims

Robin Bairner

• 11 Jan 2023 09:26 GMT
• 3 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo’s new club Al-Nassr have spoken out against reports that suggest the former Manchester United striker is set to receive a huge windfall for promoting Saudi Arabia’s 2030 World Cup bid.

Ronaldo made a shock move to the Saudi Pro League side in January after his contract was mutually terminated by Man Utd in November following a spectacular falling out with the club.

With interest from Europe’s leading clubs apparently limited, Ronaldo accepted a lucrative package to move to Al-Nassr.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is reputedly the highest-paid footballer in the history of the sport, while it had been suggested by several sources that his package includes a deal to promote Saudi Arabia’s quest to host the World Cup in 2030.

Al-Nassr have moved to shoot down such rumours, issuing a statement that reads: “Al-Nassr FC would like to clarify that contrary to news reports, Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr does not entail commitments to any World Cup bids.

“His main focus is on Al-Nassr and to work with his teammates to help the club achieve success.”

AFP have previously reported that the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) had paid Ronaldo to promote the 2030 World Cup bid and claimed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has championed the arrival of the striker.

“MbS and his brothers Naif, Turki and Rakan have long been honorary members of Al-Nassr. They wanted to put their club in the spotlight and at the same time strengthen it sportively. Attracting the best player in the world was simply the best way to do it," an anonymous source told AFP.

The former Real Madrid striker’s wage is reportedly €200-250 million per year, although this figure has not been confirmed, while AFP reported that the player could receive that sum again for supporting the World Cup bid.

Ronaldo’s debut delayed

Ronaldo, meanwhile, continues to work towards his debut with his new side, which is slated to take place on 22 January in a home Saudi Pro League fixture against Ettifaq.

He has been unable to turn out for Al-Nassr yet because he is serving a two-match ban carried over from his time with Manchester United, which was earned for slapping a phone out of a fan’s hands following a loss to Everton in August.

Ronaldo’s first match in Saudi Arabia will be for an Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal select side against PSG, which means a reunion with Lionel Messi – a player who is already an ambassador for Saudi Arabia’s 2030 World Cup bid.