Cristiano Ronaldo is set to rake in an eye-watering €576 million over a span of two years following his latest contract with Al-Nassr, a deal that also grants him an ownership stake in the club. At 40, the iconic Portuguese footballer has put pen to paper amidst much speculation about his next move.
Ronaldo took to social media to share his excitement about this new chapter, stating, “A new chapter begins,” and adding, “Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together.”
Despite celebrating his 40th birthday earlier this year, Ronaldo has bagged himself a handsome increase in his earnings. The superstar has even triggered a cheeky remark from his former teammate David De Gea, who quipped: “And playing for free,” accompanied by a laughing emoji and the side-eye emoji.
De Gea couldn’t resist the jest at the news of Ronaldo’s massive deal with Al-Nassr, where he’ll pocket a staggering €571,000 daily wage and almost €4m per week. This comes alongside his role as a ‘dream ambassador’, a position that brings additional lucrative benefits, according to recent reports.
Ronaldo’s impressive agreement includes a yearly salary of €208m plus an initial signing bonus of €28.7m, which could swell to €44m if he stays for the second year of his contract. Further incentives involve bonuses, potentially netting him €4.6m for top scorer honours and another €9.4m if he clinches the league crown, reports the Mirror.
The football legend will enjoy the services of a 16-person entourage full-time, including three private drivers, four housekeepers, two personal chefs, three gardeners, and four security staffers, all amounting to €1.6m. Additionally, he’ll have the luxury of using a private jet valued at €4.7m, as well as the prospect of raking in up to €70m from sponsorship deals with Saudi businesses.
Ronaldo has bagged himself a 15 per cent stake in Al-Nassr as part of his lucrative deal, with the football icon setting his sights on winning trophies with the Saudi club.
After celebrating his 40th birthday, Ronaldo shared his future plans, expressing a keen interest in owning multiple football clubs rather than pursuing a career in coaching. “It doesn’t make a lot of sense to be director of a club. If I can be a club owner, why would I be a manager, sporting director or CEO? ,” he divulged to Canal 11 earlier this year.
“That is a dream of mine and I am sure I’ll be a club owner. And I’ll tell you more. I hope to have not just one club, but several clubs.”
In June, Ronaldo admitted that while he had been approached by many, he decided against a move for the Club World Cup. “There have been a lot of contacts, I see things that make sense, others that don’t, as the other guy says, you can’t go to everything, you have to think short, medium and long term,” he explained.
“It’s a decision that has practically been made on my part, which is not to go to the Club World Cup, but I’ve had a lot of invitations.”