Ronaldo purchases shares in a Spanish club, poised to become a football club owner in the global football scene.

Cristiano Ronaldo has officially taken the initial steps on his path to becoming a football club owner, following the purchase of a 25% share in Almeria, a club that plays in the Spanish second tier.

Ronaldo buys stake in Almeria

At 41 years old, the Portuguese superstar – who was named a billionaire by Forbes magazine last year – is gradually revealing his vision for life after his on-field career. He has become a co-owner of UD Almeria, marking a notable turning point in his off-pitch career.

According to the official announcement, Ronaldo acquired the 25% club stake through his company, CR7 Sports Investments. In a statement to the media, the Al-Nassr and Portugal captain emphasized: "Contributing to football beyond the pitch has always been a long-term aspiration of mine. UD Almeria is a Spanish club with a solid foundation and clear growth potential. I look forward to working with the leadership to support the club as it enters its next phase of development."

The value of the deal was not disclosed, but this is seen as Ronaldo's return to Spanish football, where he previously spent nine glorious seasons with Real Madrid before moving to Juventus in the summer of 2018. During his time with the Royal club, Ronaldo won numerous major and minor titles, cementing his status as one of the greatest players in history.

This transaction also occurs one year after UD Almeria was taken over by an investment group from Saudi Arabia. Ronaldo is said to have a close relationship with Mohamed Al Khereiji – the head of the investment group and the club's current Chairman. According to multiple sources, this figure played a key role in bringing Ronaldo to Al-Nassr in 2022, following his turbulent departure from Manchester United.

Chairman Mohamed Al Khereiji shared: "We are delighted that Cristiano has chosen to invest in the club. He is regarded as one of the greatest players to ever play the game, has a deep understanding of Spanish football, and recognizes the potential we are building, both for the first team and the youth academy."

Interestingly, Ronaldo is even older than UD Almeria itself – a club founded in 1989. Currently, the team is ranked third in the Segunda Division with 48 points after 27 rounds, trailing the league leaders Real Racing by two points with 15 matches remaining in the season. Almeria's first match since Ronaldo became a co-owner will take place on Friday evening, when they visit Albacete.

Ronaldo's move into club ownership comes 14 months after he hinted at the possibility of taking on such a role at Manchester United. Speaking at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards ceremony in December 2024, he suggested that the difficulties facing the "Red Devils" were not solely due to on-pitch technical issues.

"The Premier League is the toughest league in the world. Every team is strong, fights hard, and there are no easy games anymore. But Manchester United's problems are not just about the manager," Ronaldo stated. He likened the club's situation to a fish tank: if a fish gets sick, even if you cure it and return it to the same environment, it will fall ill again unless that environment changes.

These remarks followed his explosive 2021 interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV – an event seen as the "final straw" during his second spell at Old Trafford. At that time, Ronaldo publicly criticized co-owners Joel Glazer and Avram Glazer, claiming they "didn't really care" about the club and viewed it merely as a marketing machine.

"I don't think they truly care about sports. Manchester United is a marketing brand. They make money from marketing, while the football aspect, in my opinion, is not given the proper priority," Ronaldo candidly said.

Now, instead of criticizing from the outside, Ronaldo is gradually stepping into football's power structure. His investment in UD Almeria may just be the beginning of a new chapter in the Portuguese superstar's career – a chapter where he no longer scores goals on the pitch, but makes his mark in the executive boardroom.