Cristiano Ronaldo completes acquisition of a 25% stake in Spanish Segunda División club Almería..

Almería announced on its official website on Thursday that Portugal international forward Cristiano Ronaldo has completed the acquisition of a 25% stake in the club.

According to Almería's official statement, Ronaldo completed the acquisition through his holding company, CR7 SA Sports Investments. This acquisition will help the club rapidly expand under the immense global influence of the Al-Nassr star.

This acquisition was driven by club president Mohamed Al Khereiji through a global strategic partnership with his Saudi state-owned media group.

Regarding Ronaldo's investment, Al Khereiji told Almería's official website: "We are delighted that Cristiano has chosen to invest in our club. He is considered one of the greatest players in history, has a deep understanding of Spanish football, and appreciates the potential we cultivate in our first team and youth academy."

Ronaldo himself said: "My long-held desire is to contribute to football off the pitch, and Almería is a club with a solid foundation and clear development potential. I look forward to working with the management team to support the club in its next phase of development."

It's worth mentioning that Ronaldo will become the second current international football superstar, after France international forward Kylian Mbappé of his former club Real Madrid, to acquire a professional football club's stakes within the last two years.

In 2024, Mbappé acquired a stake in Caen, a club that had helped him in his early career.

However, his investment failed to help the club avoid relegation from Ligue 2.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Ronaldo was declared the first billionaire in the football world in October.

He earns over £175 million ($240 million) annually from Al-Nassr, and his company's business spans water, underwear, footwear, and fragrances, with partnerships with 18 brands, including Nike.

About Almería

Currently third in the Spanish Segunda División, Almería is expected to qualify for the La Liga promotion playoffs.

Since first gaining promotion to La Liga in 2007, this small club from southern Spain has competed in the top flight for seven seasons.

Their most recent return to La Liga was in 2022, but they were relegated again in 2024.

In 2019, Saudi government official Turki Al-Sheikh acquired a stake in the club from businessman Alfonso García Gabarron, becoming its new owner.

However, after the 2024/25 season, ownership of Almería was acquired by the Saudi Private Investment Fund (PIF), with Mohamed Al-Khereiji being one of its leaders.

Since then, Almería has established close ties with Saudi Pro League clubs.

Last August, they played a pre-season friendly against Al-Nassr, the team that Ronaldo plays for.

Ronaldo scored twice, but Almería ultimately won 3-2.

In recent years, Almería has also been known for selling players for high prices.

Last year, Colombian striker Luis Suárez transferred to Sporting Clube de Portugal for €22 million (approximately US$26 million or £19 million at current exchange rates), while 22-year-old full-back Marc Pubill joined Atlético Madrid last summer for €16 million.

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