Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has sealed a free transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on a two-year deal that runs until 2025.
The 37-year-old reportedly turned down a £305 million move to rivals Al-Hilal last summer, agreeing to the highest salary in football history of around €200 million per year.
Ronaldo became a free agent in November after Manchester United terminated his contract following a controversial interview in which he criticised the Old Trafford outfit.
The former Real Madrid attacker exits Europe and starts a new chapter in the Middle East with 819 goals, 266 assists, and 34 career trophies to his name.
On Friday, Al Nassr – nine-time champion of the Saudi Professional League – announced the signing of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner with a social media post.
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. Welcome @Cristiano to your new home @AlNassrFC pic.twitter.com/oan7nu8NWC
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) December 30, 2022
The 37-year-old forward endured a very torrid outing with Portugal at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Although he made history by becoming the first man to score at five different FIFA World Cups, Portugal’s all-time scorer struggled to find form and he lost his starting spot to Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos.
Al-Nassr are currently second in the Saudi Professional league standings with 23 points – two points behind league leaders Al-Shabab.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is expected to link up with his new teammates as he gets ready to play his first game in Saudi Arabia when Al Nassr face Al-Tai on January 5.
