Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on a two-and-a-half-year contract, the team said on Twitter on Friday. after the footballer left Manchester United to become a free agent.
Ronaldo, 37, left Old Trafford last month after an incendiary television interview in which he said he felt betrayed by the club and did not respect his coach, Dutchman Erik ten Hag.
Al Nassr issued a statement saying the five-time Ballon winner Gold He will join a deal until 2025, but did not disclose any financial details. Media outlets estimate Ronaldo’s contract is worth more than 200 million euros ($214.04 million).
“I am fortunate to have won everything I set out to win in European football and now I feel this is the right time to share my experience in Asia,” Ronaldo said in the statement shared by the club.
“I’m looking forward to joining my new teammates and together with them helping the Club achieve success.”
Ronaldo will arrive in Saudi Arabia with a vast collection of club triumphs after a brilliant spell at Spanish giant Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018, where he won two LaLiga titles, two Spanish Cups, four Champions League titles and three Club World Cups.
He then scored a record 451 goals for Madrid and has over 800 goals overall adding clubs and national team.
Ronaldo won two Serie A titles and one Coppa Italia trophy in three years at Juventus (BIT:JUVE) before joining United with whom he had won three Premier League crowns, the FA Cup, two League Cups, the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
He played for Portugal in Qatar, where he became the first player to score in five World Cups after scoring a penalty in his team’s Group H opener against Ghana. Portugal was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Morocco.
Ronaldo said Qatar would likely be his last World Cup as he plans to retire at age 40, with a move to Saudi Arabia likely marking the final phase of the career of one of today’s top players.
“History is being made. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success, but also inspire our league, our nation and future generations,” club Al Nassr said in its tweet.
The Saudi club, which has won nine Saudi Pro Premier League titles, hopes Ronaldo can help them win another domestic league title and an AFC Asian Champions League.
However, the Portuguese striker will miss his first two domestic games after being sanctioned for ripping a phone from a fan’s hand following United’s defeat to Everton in April.
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