Football: Cristiano Ronaldo signs record deal with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo (L) poses with a shirt from his new football club, Al Nassr. Photo / Al Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo has finally found a new home, completing a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on Saturday in a groundbreaking deal for Middle Eastern football.

Al Nassr posted a picture on social media of the five-time Ballon d’Or holding up the team’s jersey, with the club hailing the signing as “history in the making.”

“This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves,” the club wrote.

It also gives the 37-year-old Ronaldo a massive payday in what could be the final contract of his career. Media reports have claimed the Portugal star could be earning up to US$200 million (NZ$315m) a year from the deal.

Ronaldo said in a statement that he was “eager to experience a new football league in a different country.”

“I am fortunate that I have won everything I set out to win in European football and feel now that this is the right moment to share my experience in Asia,” the forward added.

Here’s Cristiano Ronaldo with Al Nassr shirt after contract signed until June 2025 🚨🇵🇹🇸🇦 #Ronaldo

▫️ Agreement valid for two years and half;

▫️ Total salary will be close to €200m per year, but this includes commercial deal.

It’s the biggest salary ever in football. pic.twitter.com/ZnOg8lY6Wb

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 30, 2022

While the signing is a massive boost for Middle Eastern football, it will also fuel the debate about Saudi Arabia using so-called “sportswashing” to boost the country’s image internationally. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund owns Premier League team Newcastle and the country is considering a bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

Ronaldo had been a free agent after his contract was terminated by Manchester United following an explosive TV interview in which he criticised manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s owners. He is coming off a disappointing World Cup where he was benched in the knockout rounds and Portugal lost in the quarterfinals to Morocco.

.@piersmorgan: "If it was just about money, you'd be in Saudi Arabia earning this king's ransom, but that's not what motivates you. You want to keep at the top."@Cristiano Ronaldo: "Exactly."

That was a month ago. https://t.co/LNAkll6eZJ pic.twitter.com/L4RDb4XXY7

— Ryan Maquiñana (@RMaq28) December 30, 2022

He will now seemingly see out the last years of his career far away from the spotlight of top European football, as he is by far the biggest name to go play in the Saudi Arabian league.

Saudi Arabia earned its biggest international football win ever at the World Cup in Qatar last month when it beat eventual champions Argentina in its first group-stage game. But it failed to reach the knockout stages and the domestic league has few other stars and is not watched by a major international audience.