What does it say that Cristiano Ronaldo, who has not won a major title in two and a half years with Al Nassr, has signed a contract extension, one that doubles his salary, despite already being the highest-paid player in the world?
Yes. Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new two-year deal to extend his stay with Al Nassr and the Saudi Pro League all together.
Beyond the delight of the Saudi project to keep the most influential sportsman on earth, it was also a deal to rubbish the claims of critics, who questioned his impact at Al Nassr following his move.
The 40-year-old, already the highest-paid player in the world following his move to the Middle East at the turn of the year in 2023, will now earn almost double with his new deal.
When the former Real Madrid put pen to paper on a new two-year deal with Al Nassr in December 2022, the celebrations in Riyadh extended far beyond one club as it marked the continuation of a project that has gone from curiosity to credibility, all sparked by one of the most audacious transfers in football history.
Ronaldo, on the back of a disappointing FIFA World Cup held in Qatar, was having literally the lowest of lows in what has been an astonishing career. His time at Manchester United had also just come to a close, and in the worst way possible.
However, the moment he arrived in Saudi Arabia in January 2023, the sands of football’s future began to shift. Now, with his stay extended, it is clearer than ever, his move was not just a seismic signing, but the foundation upon which an entire sporting vision has been built.
At the time, many scoffed. Critics framed the move as a graceful swan song for a legend, a commercial exercise dressed in competitive colours, due to how his second stint at Manchester United ended. But history is now judging differently.
His acquisition gave the country’s football the one thing it had never quite managed to acquire despite years of spending: legitimacy. Not just the illusion of ambition, but the genuine attention of the football world. Sponsors followed, TV cameras arrived, and most significantly, the players followed suit.
Before the end of his first two years in the league, a cascade of marquee names moved in. Karim Benzema swapped Madrid’s white for Al Ittihad’s stripes. N’Golo Kanté, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Neymar Jr., and Sadio Mané, all world-class stars, chose to take part in this growing Middle Eastern adventure.
The recruitment drive was not just successful, it was relentless. And the domino? It was Cristiano Ronaldo, always Cristiano Ronaldo.
This level of success is not for lack of trying elsewhere. China’s Super League once held similar dreams. Around 2016, the Chinese Football Association pumped billions into clubs intending to make the league one of the world’s best.
Big-name players like Oscar, Hulk, Carlos Tevez, and Jackson Martínez were brought in, but the returns never matched the spending. Maybe now they know the reason for their failure: none of the signings had the gravitational pull of a Cristiano Ronaldo.
They never attract the sustained global interest needed to keep the project afloat. By the time regulation changes and political constraints tightened, the project fizzled out as quickly as it began.
Saudi Arabia has taken notes. Rather than building from the middle, they went straight for the top. Ronaldo’s brand is unmatched, his reach immeasurable. The biggest name in the game itself.
The difference he brings isn’t just his footballing or goalscoring prowess, it’s commercial, cultural, and psychological. He made the league acceptable, even desirable, for world-class professionals to consider. For many, he turned a detour into a destination.
Neymar explicitly credited the five-time Ballon d’Or winner for sparking the Saudi Pro League’s meteoric rise. In his first interview after joining Al‑Hilal in August 2023, the Brazilian, who ditched PSG for the Saudi project said:
“I believe Cristiano Ronaldo started all of this and everybody called him ‘crazy,’ and this and that. Today you see the league grow more and more.”
“It is exciting, meeting top‑quality players on the other teams thrills you and motivates you to play even better. And it is a given when you face Ronaldo, Benzema, (Roberto) Firmino, that the excitement is even greater,” he concluded.
While critics may choose to downplay the impact he has had on the Saudi project, the fact that they make it a topic of discussion at the highest level nullifies their claims.
The Portuguese superstar has scored 99 goals and 19 assists in 111 Al Nassr games, and even though the major titles have eluded him in Saudi Arabia, he was at the heart of their memorable conquest of the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023. Ronaldo has also won the Pro League top scorer award in each of his two full seasons.
On the back of a UEFA Nations League glory, a tournament where he was the most decisive player as Portugal became the first country in history to win two titles. Ronaldo will hope he maintains that consistency for both club and country in the few years left on his professional career.
What It Means For Cristiano Ronaldo
For Ronaldo himself, the move has not dulled his hunger. Extending his contract until 2027, when he will be 42, speaks volumes about his personal ambition.
In his Al Nassr stint so far, he has not looked like a player winding down, but rather one still obsessed with scoring, still tracking every record, still sprinting toward greatness.
The man who has rewritten goal-scoring history continues to chase the outrageous milestone of 1,000 career goals, and every match in Saudi Arabia offers another opportunity to edge closer. In a league where he yet remains the best goalscorer, and with Al Nassr built to supply him, it’s no longer a far-fetched idea.
What’s more, the infrastructure around him is evolving in his favour. With more elite players now in the league, the quality of service has improved. The competition is better, the crowds are louder, and the matches are more competitive.
There’s no denying the economic motivations on both sides. Ronaldo’s arrival and extension have generated a whirlwind of commercial revenue, not just for Al Nassr, but for the league and region as a whole.
Ticket sales, jersey deals, media rights, tourism interest; everything has surged. In that sense, his transfer should be studied not as just a sporting transaction, but a strategic economic masterstroke. The fact that it has yielded results where previous experiments have failed only strengthens that view.
His continued presence will now serve as a stabiliser and standard-bearer as Saudi football prepares its next steps. Whether that’s the development of grassroots infrastructure, youth academies, or even a future World Cup bid, having the most recognised athlete in the sport at the heart of your project gives you an immeasurable advantage.
Benefits Beyond Finances
Beyond the financial rewards, Cristiano Ronaldo’s new contract with Al Nassr further cements his central role in Saudi Arabia’s broader footballing and cultural project.
He is not just a player but a global ambassador, shaping league identity, promoting the Kingdom’s sporting ambitions, and influencing future talent development.
His continued presence strengthens his legacy as a pioneer in expanding football’s global reach, while also positioning him as a key figure in Saudi Arabia’s journey toward becoming a recognised football power.
Ownership Stake and More
Cristiano Ronaldo is widely reported to have secured a 15% ownership stake in Al Nassr, valued at around £33 million, as part of his new deal. Earlier mentions suggested a 5% stake, but the most recent and authoritative sources confirm the higher figure.
Alongside his marquee salary, his contract includes substantial performance incentives; £80,000 per goal, rising by 20% in the second year as well as £40,000 per assist, also increasing by 20% in year two.
Additional bonuses are also included, one for winning the Golden Boot, league title, and continental competitions. Together, these clauses mean the Portuguese’s total package could top £500 million over the duration of the contract.
In Cristiano Ronaldo, Saudi Arabia didn’t just sign a player. They signed a movement. And now, as he prepares to enter another chapter of his remarkable career, both the man and the mission appear stronger than ever.
What began as a risk has become a revolution, one that may outlive even the great Ronaldo himself. And for the Portuguese, he couldn’t have imagined a better end to a professional career that will now continue to stretch deep into his early 40s, and maybe beyond.
Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
