New Delhi, February 26 – Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has made a significant investment in Spanish football. He has acquired a 25 per cent stake in UD Almeria, a second-tier club currently owned by Saudi Arabian investors. Ronaldo acquired the stake through his subsidiary, CR7 Sports, and the investment is part of the club ownership consortium led by SMC Group.
Ronaldo explained his interest in the club in a statement released by UD Almeria after the purchase.
"It has been a long-held ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond just on the pitch. UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth. I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the next phase of the club's growth," Ronaldo said.
The president of Almeria, Mohammed Al Khereiji, expressed gratitude towards Ronaldo for the investment in the club.
"He is regarded as the greatest to ever play the game, he knows Spanish football very well, and he understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the academy," Khereiji said in a statement released by the club.
Almeria, currently competing in Spain's Segunda Division, is positioned third in the league and is striving to secure promotion to the main league.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo is performing well for his club, Al Nassr. The 41-year-old recently became the top goal scorer for the club when he completed his 121st goal for the team on Wednesday.
Ronaldo has a perfect win record against Almeria. He has played seven times against Almeria during his time at Real Madrid, scoring seven goals in as many appearances. He also featured in a friendly fixture with Al Nassr in the summer, which Almeria lost by 3-2.
Ronaldo still has a contract with Al Nassr until 2027 and has bagged 22 goals in 25 games this season.
