Lionel Messi’s Rival Cristiano Ronaldo Moves to Saudi Arabia Club Al-Nassr for Bonkers Money

After losing to an Arab team during the World Cup Quarterfinals, former Manchester United star and Lionel Messi's #1 rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, is joining the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr FC.

It seems that Ronaldo has been lured from Europe to Asia by big oil money from the Saudis, as Clutch Points reported that he signed with the club for a massive $75 million per year. This is enormous for a 37-year-old who is already in the twilight of his career.

Only Lionel Messi has signed a bigger deal than this, as he previously signed the largest deal ever with the team he grew up with, FC Barcelona, for $674 million ($168.5 million annually).

Ronaldo left Manchester United under unfriendly terms, airing out some dirty laundry during an interview with Piers Morgan. This left many teams in Europe not wanting anything to do with him, as many European teams do not want to deal with anything toxic.

Cristiano Ronaldo May Play for Saudi Arabian Club Al-Nassr FC Until 2025

The $75 million per year is just for Ronaldo playing with the team. His entire contract is said to be worth a whopping £172 million ($208 million) per year. The rest seem to be for image rights and commercial deals. He will also be playing a role as Saudi Arabia aims to bid to host the 2030 World Cup. This makes it the biggest deal in history, surpassing Messi's deal with FC Barcelona.

According to The Mirror, while his contract details are still unclear, rumors are saying that he has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the club. This means that he may have signed up with them until June 2025. By the time his contract ends, he may already be 40. He will turn 38 in February.

While many are expecting him to retire from playing around that time, many believe his relationship with the Saudi Arabian government may continue for far longer, especially with him reportedly helping them with their World Cup bid. This is ironic, as their biggest rival seems to be Cristiano Ronaldo's home country, Portugal.

The Saudis are reportedly aiming for an inter-confederation bid to co-host the World Cup with Egypt and Greece. Meanwhile, their biggest rivals are Portugal, Spain, and Ukraine.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Farewell Message for Brazilian Legend Pele

The passing of Brazilian soccer legend, Pele, was painful not just for Brazilians, but for Portuguese as well. The "King of Football" was widely admired in Portugal and has inspired many to play the game. He also had a relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo who took to social media to say his farewell to the King.

According to El Futbolero, he said that saying goodbye will never be enough to express the pain that he has been experiencing. Pele had shown much love for Ronaldo, and the Portuguese legend stated that the love Pele showed him was reciprocal.

Pele has considered Ronaldo to be one of the best in history and coming from him, that certainly means a lot to the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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