Cristiano Ronaldo has become a shareholder in Almería There's a connection with Saudi Arabia

The future of Cristiano Ronaldo will still be in football. As anticipated by Fabrizio Romano and the officially confirmed by the club, the Portuguese star has acquired a 25% stake in Unión Deportiva Almería, a Spanish club currently competing in the Segunda División. The deal was facilitated by connections in Saudi Arabia.

Since May 2025, the majority shares of Almería have been held by SMC Group, a Saudi company operating in communications and corporate relations, whose president is Mohammed Al-Khereiji. The acquisition was completed at the time for €100 million, with Al-Khereiji describing the purchase of the club from another Saudi businessman, Turki Al-Sheikh, who owned Almería from 2019 to 2025.

The Saudi Connection and Al-Awwal Park

The link between Al-Khereiji and Cristiano Ronaldo stems from the fact that SMC also owns Al-Awwal Park, the home stadium of Al-Nassr, the Saudi club Ronaldo has played for since 2023. The financial details of the transaction have not been officially disclosed, nor have Spanish media outlets been able to obtain further information. Regardless, Ronaldo’s decision to invest in club ownership represents the first concrete step toward his post-playing career. Ronaldo is set to represent Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It remains unclear when he will officially retire from professional football. His stated ambition, though never explicitly confirmed, is to reach and surpass 1,000 career goals.

Unión Deportiva Almería: Club History

Unión Deportiva Almería, founded in 1989, is a relatively young club. It achieved its first historic promotion to La Liga in 2007 and has since competed in Spain’s top flight for a total of six seasons, most recently in the 2022/23 campaign. The pinnacle of its sporting history came with a Copa del Rey semifinal appearance in the 2010/11 season, where it was eliminated by Barcelona. The team plays its home matches at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, a circular stadium distinguished by the presence of an athletics track surrounding the pitch. The club’s colors, red and white, are inspired by the official flag of the city of Almería, which features a red Cross of Saint George on a white background, and are reflected in the vertical stripes of the home kit. Over the course of his career, Cristiano Ronaldo has faced Almería seven times, scoring seven goals.