ZEKEY MEDIA ONLINE

Welcome back to another thrilling edition of our football blog!

By Melody Zekey Pand

Recently, when news broke that Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly turned down an opportunity to join a team participating in the FIFA Club World Cup, many of us missed the larger implications of his choice. At 40 years old, Ronaldo is acutely aware of the potential backlash that could follow if the team he joined fell short. Ultimately, he decided to remain with Al Nassr—a move that prioritizes stability over fleeting opportunities. Tournaments come and go!

In an exciting turn of events, Ronaldo has just penned a new lucrative contract with Al Nassr that will keep him with the club until 2027! By that time, he will be 42 years old. The figures surrounding this deal are staggering: Ronaldo is set to earn an astonishing £178 million annually, which includes a signing bonus of £24.5 million that will increase to £38 million in the second year. Should Al Nassr clinch the Saudi Pro League title, he stands to gain an additional £8 million. If they triumph in the Asian Champions League, that’s another £6.5 million, and a further £4 million awaits him if he secures the golden boot.
But that’s not all! Ronaldo will also earn £80,000 for each goal scored (with a 20% increase in the second year) and £40,000 for every assist (also rising by 20% in year two). On top of that, he has approximately £60 million in sponsorship deals lined up. You might be thinking it can’t get better than this, but there’s more: Al Nassr is covering £4 million in private jet expenses, and Ronaldo holds a 15% stake in the club, valued at around £33 million. If these numbers are any indication, CR7 is not just making waves on the pitch but also raking in substantial rewards off it. Scores on pitch, goals in the bank.

However, given the fierce competition from teams like Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, it’s clear which bonuses will be harder for Ronaldo to achieve. He has openly recognized the challenges these rival teams present.

Stay tuned to our blog for the latest football news and insights! In our next post, I’ll dissect my less-than-stellar predictions for the FIFA Club World Cup first round. But hey, at least I got the crucial ones right.