OFFICIAL: Cristiano Ronaldo joins Al-Nassr

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 23 May 2023 09:00 CDT
• 3 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr on a bumper two-year-contract worth a €200 million per year.

Ronaldo's future had been up in the air following his release by Manchester United on the eve of the World Cup.

The Portuguese star slated United's Glazer family ownership and manager Erik ten Hag in an interview with Piers Morgan, and player and club parted ways "by mutual consent" soon after.

READ: Frankfurt snub indicates Ronaldo had ZERO Champions League takers

It was understood Ronaldo had wanted to find a club who could help him extend upon his Champions League record 140 goals, but no such offer has been forthcoming, and he has now elected to see out his career in the Middle East.

The deal will see Ronaldo play the next two-and-a-half seasons for Al-Nassr, before becoming an ambassador for Saudi Arabia's 2030 World Cup bid.

Ronaldo's deal

Al-Nassr will reportedly sell up to three players so that Ronaldo's transfer doesn't breach overall financial controls in the region.

READ: Toni Kroos: Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer the GOAT

Vincent Aboubakar, who scored a wonderful chip for Cameroon against Serbia at the World Cup, was already looking for a new club on the news that Al-Nassr were considering another striker, Ronaldo or not.

Ronaldo's income as an ambassador for Saudi Arabia is projected to exceed what he earns in his final few years as a player.

Ronaldo has won the Champions League and the Ballon d'Ors five times each, most of those with Real Madrid, for whom he is their all-time record scorer with a barely fathomable 450 goals in 438 games between 2009 and 2018.

He endured an ill-fated second spell at United more recently, before scoring just a single goal - a penalty - for Portugal at the World Cup.