Cristiano Ronaldo Buys 25% of Almeria as CR7 Empire Expands — A Move Linked to Sergio Ramos’ Recent Ownership Push
The 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo announced the acquisition of a 25 percent stake in Unión Deportiva Almería, a Segunda División side, a development that places almeria at the center of a strategic expansion of CR7’s sports holdings. The economic details of the investment have not been disclosed, and the purchase is being structured inside Cristiano’s corporate umbrella.
Almeria stake and the club’s sporting position
Ronaldo’s 25 percent ownership is in UD Almería, who compete in the Segunda División. The team currently occupies third place in the table and sits a one and two points, respectively, from the top-ranked Racing de Santander and Castellón. That standing leaves Almería with options to ascend to Primera, a prospect that bolsters the appeal of this minority stake.
In recent days in almeria there were rumors that Ronaldo might conclude his playing career at the club beyond the age of 40; the latest development clarifies that what was gestating locally was this equity purchase, framed as the first major investment by Cristiano in a Spanish club.
How the deal is structured inside CR7’s business network
The transaction has been integrated into CR7 SA, the parent matrix that the ex‑Real Madrid and ex‑Manchester United forward is using to consolidate his growing presence in the sports business. In a press release issued this Thursday, Ronaldo explained that the investment will be funneled through CR7 Sports Investments, a newly created subsidiary of CR7 SA.
CR7 Sports Investments has been constituted to consolidate and manage Cristiano’s investments in the sporting sector. The subsidiary is described as a vehicle for the evaluation and execution of strategic opportunities in professional sport, formalizing an explicit corporate approach to club ownership and related assets.
Reactions from Cristiano and Almería’s president
Cristiano framed the move as part of a long-standing ambition to contribute to football beyond the pitch, calling UD Almería a club with solid foundations and clear growth potential and expressing enthusiasm to work with the club’s board to support the next phase of development.
Mohamed Al Khereiji, president of UD Almería, confirmed the sale and welcomed Ronaldo’s investment. He described the club’s satisfaction that Cristiano chose to invest, noting that Ronaldo is widely considered the best player of all time, that he knows the Spanish leagues well, and that he understands the potential of what the club is building both on the first team and in the academy.
Commercial context and undisclosed terms
The deal’s financial specifics remain undisclosed. While the headline fact is the 25 percent stake, the precise valuation and payment terms have not been released, and the operation has been presented as part of a broader, long-term commitment by Ronaldo to professional football investment.
How this move relates to Sergio Ramos’ recent ownership ambitions
Cristiano’s latest strategy arrives weeks after public knowledge of Sergio Ramos’ intentions to pursue club ownership. Ramos put forward a proposal to acquire Sevilla FC backed by Five Eleven Capital, a Madrid-based holding led by the Argentine businessman Martín Ink; that offer was reported to be around 450 million euros. Ramos traveled to Sevilla on January 15 in a private plane to present his proposal to the main shareholders, and those negotiations remain open and could extend until June.
Ramos, who will turn 40 on March 30, had expressed a wish to retire wearing Sevilla’s shirt. After Ramos announced his intention to pursue acquisition, José María del Nido Carrasco, president of Sevilla, declined to allow Ramos to play for the club if he became an owner, telling Ramos’ entourage that ownership and playing were incompatible and that the decision that Ramos would not play was his to make.
The CR7 investment in UD Almería links to this wider pattern of recent player-to-owner moves in Spanish football, while also reflecting Cristiano’s established relationship with Mohamed Al Khereiji, who is said to have played a decisive role in Ronaldo’s arrival at Al‑Nassr following his controversial exit from Manchester United.
What’s next for the club and CR7 Sports Investments
UD Almería now enters a new stage with a high-profile minority investor onboard and a corporate vehicle designed to manage future sporting acquisitions. The club’s league position keeps the possibility of promotion open, and the partnership with CR7 Sports Investments is presented as an opportunity to back both first-team ambitions and academy development. Financial terms remain undisclosed, and further operational details could emerge as CR7’s subsidiary evaluates and executes forthcoming opportunities in the professional-sport sector.
