Transfer to Saudi's Al Nassr
On the morning of the 3rd (Korean time), the Group H third match between South Korea and Portugal was held at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, during the 2022 Qatar World Cup group stage. Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo is chasing the ball. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] Cristiano Ronaldo, who parted ways with Manchester United, is expected to play in Saudi Arabia starting January next year.
On the 5th (Korean time), Spanish media Marca reported, "Ronaldo has agreed to join Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr from January next year." Ronaldo will sign a two-year contract with Al Nassr, receiving ?172 million (approximately 273 billion KRW) per season including salary and advertising revenue.
Earlier, ahead of the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup, Ronaldo appeared on the British TV talk show "Piers Morgan Uncensored" and said, "I feel betrayed by the club called Manchester United. Not only this year but also last year, I realized there were people in the club who did not want me," adding, "Manchester United has not shown progress since former manager Alex Ferguson retired (in 2013). Nothing has changed."
He also criticized Manchester United’s current manager Erik ten Hag, saying, "I cannot respect him. (Ten Hag) did not show me respect, so I feel the same way."
Manchester United immediately announced the termination of Ronaldo’s contract due to his excessive remarks about the club and the management, and Ronaldo is currently playing in the Qatar World Cup without a club.
After becoming a free agent, some teams including Chelsea from the English Premier League (EPL), Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, and Sporting CP from Portugal showed interest in signing him, but Ronaldo chose to move to Saudi Arabia.
Al Nassr, which has consistently expressed interest in signing Ronaldo since last summer, is analyzed to have gained an advantage in the competition by offering an astronomical amount. By deciding to move to Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has become the highest-paid player in the world.
Marca reported that Ronaldo will receive a huge sum of up to €200 million per season from Al Nassr. This surpasses the current highest salary of €90 million (approximately 123.8 billion KRW) received by Kylian Mbapp? (Paris Saint-Germain). However, some evaluations suggest that if this contract is finalized, it means Ronaldo will no longer play in the European leagues.
Meanwhile, Portugal, Ronaldo’s national team, will face Switzerland on the 7th to compete for a spot in the quarterfinals.
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