MADRID, — Cristiano Ronaldo has taken his first formal step into club ownership, acquiring a 25% stake in Spanish second-division side UD Almería through CR7 Sports Investments, a subsidiary of CR7 S.A., the club and Reuters reported on Thursday. The investment places the Portugal captain inside an ownership structure led by SMC Group, the Saudi media and advertising conglomerate headed by Mohamed Al Khereiji. Almería confirmed that Ronaldo’s purchase forms part of the broader international expansion strategy being pursued by the club’s Saudi-led ownership group. SMC completed the full transfer of ownership of Almería last year, ending the previous era under former owner Turki Al-Sheikh.
Ronaldo, who has been playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia since late 2022, said the move reflects a long-held ambition to stay involved in football beyond his playing career. In a statement published by Almería, he described the Spanish club as having “a strong foundation and clear growth potential” and said he wanted to support the team in its next phase of development. The 41-year-old’s investment comes with Almería well placed in the promotion race. The club is currently third in LaLiga Hypermotion, Spain’s second tier, with 48 points from 27 matches, keeping it firmly in contention for a return to La Liga. Almería’s official website said earlier this month that the team had climbed to third and moved within touching distance of the automatic promotion places.
Ronaldo’s arrival also adds another link between Saudi football investment and the Spanish game. Almería’s stadium is sponsored as the Power Horse Stadium, and the club’s current leadership is closely tied to Saudi business interests. Reuters said Ronaldo’s purchase is his first known direct stake in a European club, expanding a business portfolio already built around hospitality, branding and sports-related ventures.
The former Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus and Sporting CP forward spent nine seasons in Spain from 2009 to 2018, winning two La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies with Madrid. His investment in Almería now brings him back into Spanish football in a different role — not as a player, but as part-owner of a club chasing promotion back to the topflight.
If Almería secures promotion, Ronaldo’s first venture into club ownership could quickly gain a much larger profile in European football.
