The Portuguese forward has extended his contract with Saudi club Al Nassr until 2027. The agreement, valued at €263 million per year, makes him the highest-paid footballer in history. Despite the club`s lack of major trophies, Ronaldo remains a key asset to the team.
Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo has extended his contract with Saudi club Al Nassr, becoming the world`s highest-paid footballer. Media reports indicate he will earn approximately €263 million per season until 2027. This sum includes his salary, image rights income, and marketing revenues, making it a record-breaking agreement in global football history.
Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals scored at the national team level. For Al Nassr, he has played 105 matches across all competitions, scoring 93 goals and providing 19 assists. However, the five-time Ballon d`Or winner has not managed to win any significant trophies with the Riyadh-based club.
Mikhail Tyapkov, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Sport24 portal, comments:
This is primarily about the image component. Thanks to him, the club gained worldwide recognition; they can invite other footballers and coaches because of him. He guarantees that Saudi Arabia`s best young talents will join Al Nassr. Currently, it`s the most recognized Saudi club, so I think it`s all logical. I`m not very familiar with the specific business aspects for Al Nassr, such as how much they earn from merchandise or shirt sales, but in any case, there are TV rights – the Saudi league is broadcast in many countries, partly thanks to Ronaldo. I think the Saudis are good businessmen; they have calculated everything. And how else can you interest Ronaldo at this age to continue his career? Not just with money – and large sums of money – but also a share in the club is an interesting incentive strategy: stay with us, you are financially invested in the club`s further growth. Ronaldo is 40 years old; that`s a veteran age for a footballer. On the one hand, the Saudi league is not the fastest; it doesn`t require the same physical skills as European championships. On the other hand, the climate also presents its own challenges – this is a disadvantage for older players. Overall, I think because Ronaldo has always been known for his good fitness and physical readiness, he will play for at least one or two more years. The target is likely the next World Cup in 2026. It`s not that far off, and Ronaldo surely wants to go. Whether he`s currently needed by the Portuguese national team is debatable, but I think if he continues to play at least at the level of the Saudi championship, at the level he demonstrated last season, it will be difficult for Portugal not to call him up. That would be a huge scandal.
— Mikhail Tyapkov, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sport24 portal
Journalists have broken down Ronaldo`s approximate base salary over different time periods. It amounts to €23,900 per hour, €397 per minute, and €6.63 per second. While an average person is brushing their teeth, Ronaldo earns around €800. And this is without bonuses.
