Cristiano Ronaldo has officially moved from the pitch to the boardroom, but his £900 million net worth suggests that his 25 per cent stake in Spanish side UD Almeria is just the beginning of a much larger empire.
The Manchester United icon, who currently earns a staggering £178 million per year at Al Nassr, has acquired the stake through his CR7 Sports company. With Almeria currently fighting for promotion to La Liga, Ronaldo is already proving his business acumen but it’s his “unfinished business” at Old Trafford that has fans buzzing.
The Financial Powerhouse: Breaking Down the £900m
Ronaldo isn’t just a footballer; he is a global financial entity. His move into ownership is backed by a war chest that dwarfs almost any other athlete in history:
- Annual Salary (Al Nassr): £178m
- Estimated Net Worth: ~£900m
- Business Portfolio: CR7 Hotels, CR7 Underwear, CR7 Eyewear, and now CR7 Sports Investments.
With this level of liquidity, Ronaldo is one of the few individuals on the planet with the brand power to front a consortium capable of challenging the current ownership structures in the Premier League.
“I Will Fix It”: The Threat to the Glazers
The investment in Almeria is seen by many as a “test run” for a potential Manchester United takeover. Ronaldo has been a vocal critic of the Glazer family, famously lambasting their lack of investment during his explosive 2022 interview with Piers Morgan.
At the 2024 Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo was even more direct about his ambitions:
“The problem of Manchester United is much more than the coach. If I will be the owner of the club, I will make things clear and adjust things that are bad there.”
The INEOS Struggle vs. The CR7 Brand
While Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have taken over football operations, they have faced heavy criticism for drastic cost-cutting measures. In contrast, Almeria president Mohamed Al Khereiji hailed Ronaldo’s arrival as a game-changer: “He knows Spanish football very well and understands the potential of what we are building here.”
Promotion on the Horizon
Ronaldo joins Almeria at a pivotal moment. The club is currently:
- 3rd in Segunda Division
- 2 points off the lead (Racing)
- On the verge of La Liga promotion
If Ronaldo can help guide Almeria back to the Spanish top flight in his first year as an owner, the calls for him to “save” Manchester United from its current ownership cycle will only grow louder.
Ronald Mike is a football writer covering the English Premier League, providing match analysis, tactical insight, and coverage of key rivalries and title races across the season.
