Cristiano Ronaldo buys 25% stake in Spanish second division club Almeria Fc; almeria fc acquisition confirmed
Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he had acquired a 25% stake in Saudi-owned Spanish second division club Almería, a move made through his new holding firm. The investment in almeria fc was described as "a long-time ambition" and the statement from CR7 Sports Investments gave no financial details of the deal.
Almeria Fc ownership details
The club is identified in the statement as UD Almería and is owned by Saudi group SMC. The holding company, CR7 Sports Investments, said: "This strategic investment in UD Almería reflects Ronaldo’s long-term commitment to professional football ownership, " while providing no financial details of the deal.
Ronaldo's statement and aims
The statement quoted Ronaldo directly: "It has been a long-time ambition of mine to contribute to football. I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the club’s next phase of growth. " Almería’s president, Mohamed al-Khereiji, suggested Ronaldo would be particularly involved in the club’s youth programme, saying: "He is considered the best on the pitch. He knows the Spanish leagues very well and understands the potential of what we are building. "
Club standing and context
Almería were last in the Spanish top flight in 2024 and are currently third in the Segunda, one point from the automatic promotion places. The context given notes the club’s current standing in the second tier while ownership remains with SMC.
Ronaldo's Saudi ties and form
Ronaldo has played in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Nassr since 2023 and already owns a stake in that club. He became the first footballer included in ’s "Billionaire Index" last October. He recently returned to the Al-Nassr first team after a spat over the way the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the national sovereign wealth fund which controls four clubs in the league, handled the winter transfer window. In recent matches he has scored four times in the last three games. Ronaldo is set to take part in his sixth World Cup next summer although he has suggested that, aged 41, it could be his last.
Other players who have bought clubs
Ronaldo’s move joins a growing group of active players investing in clubs while still playing. Examples cited include the class of '92 and their investment into Salford. In 2024 a Real Madrid forward bought a majority stake in SM Caen, the French side then in Ligue 2; that forward used a company called Interconnected Ventures to reportedly invest €15m ($17. 7m) of his own money. Caen were relegated last season after finishing bottom of Ligue 2 and are currently ninth in Ligue 3.
Other ownership examples listed include a group involving Snoop Dogg, Luka Modric and Martha Stewart taking a minority stake in Swansea. The Croatian midfielder owns a minority stake in the Welsh club alongside rapper Snoop Dogg and American billionaire Martha Stewart.
In 2020, while still at Arsenal, Bellerin became Forest Green Rovers' second largest shareholder. The Rovers’ green agenda was highlighted: the club went fully vegan in 2015 and became the world's first carbon neutral club in 2017. Forest Green Rovers are currently in the National League, the fifth tier of English football.
In 2018 the Kosmos Group, owned by Gerard Piqué, bought FC Andorra. Andorra were then competing in the fifth tier of the Spanish domestic structure; they are now in the second tier Segunda División and currently sit 17th.
In 2023 a former Leicester and Chelsea midfielder bought a side competing in the third tier of Belgian football. Kanté took over as club chairman at the time of the takeover, and the club, Virton, were in the process of regaining their professional licence when the purchase occurred.
Closing summary
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 25% purchase of Almería through CR7 Sports Investments was announced without financial details. The deal links a high-profile active player to a Spanish Segunda side owned by SMC, with explicit plans for youth involvement and an expressed commitment to supporting the club’s next phase of growth.
