Cristiano Ronaldo has taken his involvement in football to a new level after purchasing a 25 per cent stake in Spanish Segunda División side UD Almería.
The 41-year-old forward, who currently plays for Al-Nassr, completed the investment through his newly established company, CR7 Sports Investments. The club is owned by a Saudi Arabian investment consortium led by Mohammed Al-Khereiji.
Although the financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, Ronaldo made it clear that the move represents something deeply personal.
Speaking in a statement, the Portugal captain said he is eager to collaborate with the club’s hierarchy “to support the next phase of the club’s growth”.
He added, “It has been a long-held ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch.
“UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear growth potential.”
Club president Al-Khereiji described Ronaldo’s involvement as a major endorsement of the project underway at the Andalusian side.
“[Ronaldo] is regarded as the greatest to ever play the game, he knows the Spanish leagues very well and he understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the academy,” he said.
The SMC Group, headed by Al-Khereiji, acquired Almería last year from Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
The move signals a return to Spanish football for Cristiano Ronaldo, albeit in the boardroom rather than on the grass. He spent nine glittering years at Real Madrid, winning two La Liga titles and lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy four times before departing for Juventus in 2018.
Since 2022, he has been the marquee figure in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr and remains the highest-paid footballer in history, earning a reported £177 million per year.
Meanwhile, UD Almería, founded in 1989, are firmly in the promotion race. The club currently sit third in the Segunda División table, just two points behind leaders Real Racing Club, with 15 matches remaining this season.
