Cristiano Ronaldo (40) extended his contract with Al Nassr for two years. He expressed satisfaction with his life in Saudi Arabia.
On the 29th (Korean time), Ronaldo said in an interview video released by Al Nassr, "Saudi professional football is continuing to grow. It has already entered the top five leagues in the world," indicating that his pride in the league was a reason for his re-signing.
He further praised the league by saying, "The competition is fierce. Those who have never played in Saudi Arabia do not understand this properly. It’s really great here. That’s why I decided to re-sign for two more years."
He also said, "I want to contribute to the development of Saudi Arabia outside of football."
Al Nassr officially announced earlier on the 26th, "We signed a re-contract with Ronaldo until summer 2027." With this contract, Ronaldo will play for Al Nassr until the age of 42.
His previous contract was scheduled to end in late June. Although there were recent transfer rumors, Ronaldo's choice was to re-sign.
On the day of the official re-signing announcement, Ronaldo stated on his social media account, "A new chapter has begun. The same passion, the same dream. Let's make history together."
Ronaldo, who parted ways with Manchester United before the 2022 Qatar World Cup, signed a contract with Al Nassr in January 2023 that ran until the 2024-2025 season. And he extended the contract further.
He has been performing impressively in the Saudi league, scoring 35 goals in 31 league games during the 2023-2024 season to become the top scorer. He recorded 25 goals in the 2024-2025 season, becoming the top scorer for two consecutive years.
After the season ended, Ronaldo left a message on his social media account stating, "A chapter has ended," stirring rumors of 'departure from Saudi Arabia.' Reports surfaced that he might transfer to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup held in the United States.
In response to this, Ronaldo said, "I have received transfer offers from teams participating in the Club World Cup. However, I judged that it would be better to choose rest," implying he is preparing for the World Cup, saying, "The 2025-2026 season will coincide with the World Cup immediately after the Saudi league ends. It will be an incredibly long season."
As Ronaldo approaches the end of his playing career, he answered questions about the future, saying, "Two years ago, I never imagined I would be playing in Saudi Arabia. Life is unpredictable. I will stay committed to the present. I am satisfied now."
Meanwhile, the British media 'The Sun' projected that Ronaldo could earn over £500 million (approximately 931.4 billion won) through his two-year contract with Al Nassr. This is the largest contract in sports history.
Ronaldo receives an annual salary of £178 million (approximately 33.15 billion won). In addition, bonuses based on performance such as goals, assists, and team victories are added.
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