Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, the club announced on Friday, after leaving Manchester United to become a free agent.
Ronaldo left Manchester United last month after an explosive television interview in which the 37-year-old forward stated that he felt betrayed by the club and did not respect their Dutch manager Erik ten Hag. Al Nassr said in a statement that the five-time Ballon D’or winner will join on a contract until 2025, but no financial details were provided. The media has estimated Ronaldo’s contract to be worth more than 200 million euros ($214.04 million).
“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,” Ronaldo said in the statement.
“I am looking forward to joining my new team mates and together with them help the Club to achieve success.”
Ronaldo will arrive in Saudi Arabia with a plethora of club honours following a glittering spell at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018, where he won two LaLiga titles, two Spanish Cups, four Champions League titles, and three Club World Cups.
He went on to set a Real Madrid club record with 451 goals and has more than 800 senior goals for club and country.
Ronaldo said Qatar would probably be his last World Cup as he plans to retire at 40, with a move to Saudi Arabia likely to mark the swansong in the career one of the game’s greatest current players alongside Lionel Messi.