Cristiano Ronaldo acquires 25% stake in Almería, elevating "Boss CR7" to "Director CR7"

Author/Han Bing On February 26, European and Saudi media outlets reported that Cristiano Ronaldo has acquired a 25% stake in the Segunda División club Almería, marking his official entry into professional football investment. Almería currently sits in 3rd place in the second tier and has a high chance of promotion to LaLiga. Should they succeed, Ronaldo could follow Ronaldo Nazário's path this summer, returning to LaLiga in the role of a club director or possibly chairman. The player once humorously called "Boss CR7" by fans has now truly become a club director.

It is reported that this acquisition was completed through a newly established sports investment company under Ronaldo's personal brand, CR7. Previously, European media widely speculated that Ronaldo had obtained a 15% stake in Al Nassr, but Saudi media received no official confirmation from the club. However, this Almería purchase has been officially confirmed by the club.

Ronaldo's previous investments have primarily focused on real estate, fashion, hospitality, and cutting-edge technology. Investing in Almería represents his first genuine foray into owning a stake in a professional football club, signaling a transition for his post-retirement career within the sport.

Almería's club president, Turki Al-Sheikh, stated that Ronaldo's investment constitutes a genuine "strategic investment" for this Andalusian club. He emphasized that this is not a whim but part of a long-term plan for Ronaldo's career evolution. Saudi media believes that by becoming a shareholder in a Spanish club, Ronaldo will use Almería as a springboard to return to Spanish football.

It is worth noting that Ronaldo's investment in Almería at this time has strong backing from Saudi capital. Almería was already under Saudi control—in 2019, Turki Al-Sheikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority (GEA), acquired the club, intending to establish it as a Saudi football base in Europe. However, the Saudi Football Federation chose Catalonia for its overseas youth academy. In 2025, Al-Sheikh sold the club to the Saudi capital group SMC, led by Khalid Al-Sheikh.

Previously, a consortium led by Turki Al-Sheikh made multiple attempts to acquire Manchester United, ultimately losing to British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe. Khalid Al-Sheikh played a significant role in Ronaldo's move from Manchester United to Al Nassr. As an Al Nassr fan, Turki Al-Sheikh also had an important part. That Ronaldo has invested in Almería, a club successively controlled by Turki and Khalid Al-Sheikh, speaks volumes about the context.

Saudi media, while reporting on Ronaldo's acquisition, specifically mentioned a friendly in February 2024 where Al Nassr defeated Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 6-0. Ronaldo was absent due to injury, and Messi came on as a substitute. When the score reached 6-0, Turki Al-Sheikh, watching from a box, held up six fingers, seen as a taunt towards Inter Miami. This gesture was widely interpreted by Saudi media as a response to Gerard Piqué's famous five-finger display after Barcelona's 5-0 win over Real Madrid. Reports suggest that if Turki Al-Sheikh completes a takeover of Al Nassr, he would also reserve a portion of the club's shares for Ronaldo.

Ronaldo is the latest active player to purchase a club stake. Previous examples include Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué, who bought FC Andorra before retiring, and more recently Kylian Mbappé investing in his youth club Caen, and Vinícius Júnior acquiring a stake in Portuguese club Aves. Sergio Ramos is also leading an investment group with a €400 million offer to buy Sevilla, the club that nurtured him. If successful, Ramos would oversee operations, aiming to restore Sevilla to its former glory. Notably, although currently without a club, Ramos attempted a comeback at Sevilla prior to the potential acquisition.

It is somewhat regrettable that the official announcement of Ronaldo's investment in Almería came two weeks late. Otherwise, the match on February 13 against Gerard Piqué's FC Andorra would have presented a boardroom version of the classic Clásico rivalry familiar over the past decade. Furthermore, if Sergio Ramos's acquisition succeeds and Ronaldo's Almería gains promotion, the new season could see these former Real Madrid teammates stage a "Directors' Derby" in LaLiga.