Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football star, has explained why he abandoned Europe for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo is set to earn an eye-watering £173 million per year in the Middle Eastern country, a record-breaking football salary that also signals the end of his top-level career
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who is now the most high-profile player to grace Asian football, said he considers himself fortunate to have achieved everything he set out to achieve in European football and believes the time has come to share his experience in Asia.
Ronaldo stated after signing with the club:
“I am excited to experience a new football league in a different country. The vision of what Al Nassr are doing and developing in Saudi Arabia both in terms of men’s and women’s football is very inspiring. We can see from Saudi Arabia’s recent performance at the World Cup that this is a country with big football ambitions and a lot of potential.
“I am fortunate that I have won everything I set out to win in European football and feel now that this is the right moment to share my experience in Asia. I am looking forward to joining my new teammates and together with them, help the club to achieve success.”
Ronaldo leaves behind what is arguably Europe’s greatest career of all time, forged over 21 glittering years. In addition to five Champions League titles, seven league titles, including those of England, Italy, and Spain, and 20 other club trophies, the Portugal captain led his country to a historic win at Euro 2016, the first of two international titles.