Cristiano Ronaldo has made no secret of his satisfaction at acquiring a stake in Almeria
The stake was acquired by Ronaldo, 41, through CR7 Sports Investments, a company he owns. The amount of the transaction was not disclosed. Thus, the Portuguese star became a minority shareholder of the club.
The value of the asset
In 2019, the Almeria club was sold to the head of Saudi Arabia’s entertainment authority, Turki Al Al-Sheikh, for €80 million. The club changed ownership again last year when it was bought by Saudi investment conglomerate SMC Group. According to the Indian publication Business Standard, SMC Group president Mohamed Al Kheraji paid €100 million.
Based on this information, Ronaldo could have paid around €25 million for his share, which is less than 5% of his fortune – last year he was recognized as the first billionaire footballer.
The club’s annual budget was last made public last season. The club has one of the largest budgets among the 22 members of Spain’s second league.
Ronaldo has long stated his intention to become the owner of the club. According to him, acquiring a stake in Almeria would allow him to contribute to the development of soccer off the pitch as well. “The club has strong foundations and clear potential for growth. I look forward to working together with the management team to support the next stage of development,” said the Portuguese, who is contemplating the end of his professional career.
Tournament prospects
As of February 28, Almeria is in third place in Spain’s second league and, with 15 rounds to go, has a chance to return to La Liga after a two-year absence.
Almeria was founded in 1989 and is one of the youngest clubs in Spain’s professional leagues. Home meetings are held at the stadium “Juegos Mediterraneos”, with a capacity of 15 thousand spectators.
