Cristiano Ronaldo’s new club, Al Nassr, have clarified that the Portugal captain’s contract does not include any obligations to support Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
Recent reports claimed Ronaldo would earn an additional €200 million (£177m) to promote the World Cup bid, on top of his reported annual salary of £177 million. However, the Saudi club has firmly denied these claims.
“His deal does not entail commitments to any World Cup bids,” Al Nassr stated. “His main focus is on Al Nassr and working with his teammates to help the club achieve success.”
Ronaldo joined Al Nassr last month as a free agent following his departure from Manchester United, which came in the wake of a controversial interview in which he criticised the club.
He is set to make his Al Nassr debut on 22 January against Ettifaq. Before that, he may feature in an exhibition match against Paris Saint-Germain, where Lionel Messi could also be involved.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly exploring a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup with Greece and Egypt. Ronaldo’s presence at Al Nassr will therefore remain focused on footballing commitments rather than promotional duties for the bid.
