Arguably the greatest striker of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo has joined the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr following his controversial departure from Manchester United, the club announced on Friday.
Ronaldo agreed to a contract until the summer of 2025, and based on reports, he will earn $75 million per year, making him the highest-paid player in history.
The Riyadh-based club, Al-Nassr compete in the Saudi Pro League and has won the nation’s second-most top-flight league titles.
Ronaldo, said in Al-Nassr’s statement, “I am excited to experience a new football league in a different country. The vision of what Al Nassr are doing and developing in Saudi Arabia both in terms of men’s and women’s football is very inspiring. We can see from Saudi Arabia’s recent performance at the World Cup that this is a country with big football ambitions and a lot of potential.
“I am fortunate that I have won everything I set out to win in European football and feel now that this is the right moment to share my experience in Asia. I am looking forward to joining my new teammates and together with them help the Club to achieve success.”
Ronaldo pushed his way out of Manchester United last month, reciprocally terminating his agreements after a heated TV interview.
In Qatar, the GOAT scorer also had varying findings. Despite becoming the first male player to score in five World Cups, he only featured as a substitute in the second half of a few matches. Portugal subsequently lost 1-0 to Morocco in the quarterfinals.
Al-Nassr, President, Musalli Almuammar, said, “This is more than history in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves.
“He is a special footballer and a special person whose impact is felt far beyond football. Cristiano is joining a club with big ambitions, a competitive club amongst the very best in Asia and will be welcomed to a country that is making massive progress on and off the pitch with opportunities for all.
“But first and foremost, we can’t wait to see him in the number 7 shirt of Al Nassr doing what he does best, scoring goals, winning titles and bringing joy to those who love the beautiful game.”