Saudi Arabia to profit from Ronaldo transfer, says financial expert

2023-01-19 14:15

Saudi Arabia to profit from Ronaldo transfer, says financial expert

Cristiano Ronaldo 's move to Al Nasr could bring his new club and Saudi Arabia a windfall, football finance expert Neil Joyce told Reuters.


As the Portugal international prepares for his first game in the country since the deal was announced .

Ronaldo has been named captain of Riyadh's ST XI - a squad made up of players from Al Nasser and Al Hilal - for Thursday's exhibition game against Lionel Messi 's Paris Saint-Germain.

According to media estimates, the 37 -year-old striker's contract with Al Nasser is worth more than 200 million euros, or about 215.76 million U.S. dollars, a deal that has attracted a lot of attention and is likely to bring money-making opportunities, Joyce said.

" The growth of Al Nacer 's fan base after Ronaldo joined is well known, they went from less than 1 million followers to about 8 million in about 10 days , " said Joyce, chief executive of CLV Group Co-Founder, advises clubs on how to maximize revenue through engagement with their global fan base.

They have a chance to make money. For sponsorships, suddenly show global brands that you can reach 8 million followers and they can directly profit from it.

Ronaldo has a huge following in celebrity, TV, entertainment and pop music, so there is an opportunity for Saudi Arabia to almost become a TV and entertainment hub. It is also possible to promote the country as a tourist destination. "

Saudi Arabia to profit from Ronaldo transfer, says financial expert

ronaldo effect

According to Joyce, Ronaldo's move to Saudi Arabia would also set a precedent, allowing more big names to arrive and develop the Saudi league, much like Pele did to American football after joining the New York Cosmos in 1975 .

The Ronaldo effect could take hold in the region, and given the success of the World Cup in the region, I think it means a lot for Ronaldo, and it could bring value in the near future.

" You're looking at a series of relatively high-profile stars who may be entering the later stages of their careers and may be moving to Saudi Arabia. "

As well as luring Ronaldo, Saudi Arabia has also signed Messi as a tourism ambassador, with the country hosting a new chapter of their famous rivalry.