Olushola Omogbehin
Football superstar and Real Madrid legend Ronaldo, has purchased a stake in Spanish second-division club Almeria.
Through his CR7 Sports Investments company, he acquired 25 percent stake after he moved to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Nassr at the end of 2022.
In a statement on Thursday, the club said: “Cristiano Ronaldo invests in UD Almería as part of the club ownership consortium led by SMC Group.”
In a statement, Ronaldo said: “It has been a long-time ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch. UD Almería is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth.”
Also, according to a statement on Almeria’s official website reads: “Cristiano Ronaldo has acquired 25% of the shares of UD Almería through CR7 Sports Investments, a subsidiary of CR7 SA, this being an important step in the continued expansion of both the club and the investment portfolio of the Portuguese businessman.
“This agreement is part of the international expansion of the entity being carried out by President Mohamed Al Khereiji through his business conglomerate SMC Group.”
Almeria president Mohamed al Khereiji is delighted to have Ronaldo on board, saying in a statement of his own: “He is considered the best on the pitch. He knows the Spanish leagues very well and understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the youth academy.”
Almeria were relegated out of La Liga in 2024. They are, however, currently sat third in the Segunda Division – two points adrift of leaders Racing Santander – and remain very much in the promotion hunt.
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the most prominent football superstars in the world.
