Cristiano Ronaldo has taken a 25% stake in Spanish second-division side UD Almeria, becoming a co-owner of the club through his CR7 Sports Investments company.
The 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward acquired the share from the Saudi Arabian investment consortium led by Mohammed Al-Khereiji. Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, but Ronaldo expressed excitement about joining the club’s leadership.
“I am looking forward to working with the team to support the next phase of the club’s growth,” Ronaldo said. “It has been a long-held ambition of mine to contribute to football beyond the pitch. UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth.”
Al-Khereiji, president of Almeria, praised Ronaldo, saying: “[He] is regarded as the greatest to ever play the game. He knows the Spanish leagues very well and understands the potential of what we are building here, both in terms of the team and the academy.”
Ronaldo spent nine successful years in Spain with Real Madrid, winning La Liga twice and lifting the Champions League four times before moving to Juventus in 2018. He has been with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League since 2022 and is the highest-paid footballer in history, earning £177m annually.
Almeria, founded in 1989, are currently third in the Segunda División, two points behind leaders Real Racing with 15 games remaining.
Ronaldo’s investment in Almeria follows years of carefully building his business portfolio. A decade ago, he began preparing for life after football, investing in ventures ranging from hotels and gyms to fragrances, footwear, recovery products, and digital health apps.
The first step was symbolic: a partnership in 2016 to open a hotel in Madeira. Over time, he expanded into multiple properties in Lisbon, Madrid, New York, and Marrakech. He has also co-founded a hair-transplant clinic operating in Spain, Portugal, Oman, and Italy, with high-profile clients including his mother, Dolores Aveiro.
Ronaldo’s non-football interests generated over £50m in 2025, contributing to a total annual income of nearly £210m according to Forbes. The Almeria stake marks another milestone in his transition from football legend to sports entrepreneur.
At the 2024 Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo had hinted that if he ever owned a football club, he knew how to correct structural flaws he observed in Europe’s giants. Now, with Almeria, he has taken the first step in realising that vision.
