oi-Sauradeep Ash
Cristiano Ronaldo has officially started his journey as a football club owner. The 41-year-old superstar has purchased a 25 per cent stake in the Spanish club UD Almeria, signalling his plans for life after he stops playing.
Even though he is still scoring goals for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and getting ready for the World Cup this summer, the Portugal captain is thinking ahead. He made the investment through his company, CR7 Sports Investments. Almeria, who play in Spain’s second division, was recently taken over by a Saudi investment group.
In an official statement, Ronaldo shared his excitement about the move, saying, “It has been a longtime ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch. UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth. I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the club’s next phase of growth.”
The president of Almeria, Mohamed Al Khereiji, is thrilled to have the five-time Ballon d’Or winner on board.
“We are very pleased that Cristiano has chosen our club to invest in. He is regarded as the greatest to ever play the game, he knows Spanish football very well and he understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the academy,” he said.
A Hint About Manchester United?
This move into ownership has many fans wondering if Manchester United could be next on his list. During his second spell at Old Trafford, things ended on a difficult note, but Ronaldo has previously suggested he would love to help “fix” the club’s problems from the top.
Speaking at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards in 2024, Ronaldo opened up about the struggles at United. He explained: “The problem of Manchester United is the same. The problem is not always the coach. It’s much more than that. If I will be the owner of the club, I will make things clear and adjust things that are bad there.”
Currently, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his company INEOS own a minority stake in Manchester United and run the football side of the business. However, with Ronaldo’s massive net worth, estimated at around £900 million and his new experience in Spain, some believe a return to United in a boardroom role could happen one day.
For now, Ronaldo is focused on helping Almeria climb back into the top flight of Spanish football while continuing his record-breaking career on the field.
Story first published: Friday, February 27, 2026, 8:50 [IST]
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