Cristiano Ronaldo buys 25 per cent stake in club after hinting he could 'fix' Man Utd

Cristiano Ronaldo has long been interested in owning a football club and hinted that he'd be willing to buy Manchester United when he eventually retires from playing

Cristiano Ronaldo has taken his first steps into the world of football ownership by acquiring a 25 per cent stake in Spanish club Almeria. Ronaldo, 41, is still banging in the goals for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League and will be back on the biggest stage of all this summer at the World Cup.

But the Portugal captain is already planning for when he hangs up his boots. On Thursday, it was announced that Ronaldo has become a co-owner of Almeria, who play in the Spanish second division.

The purchase has been made through CR7 Sports Investments, a year after Almeria were taken over by a Saudi investment group. In a statement, Ronaldo declared: "It has been a longtime ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch.

"UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth. I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the club's next phase of growth."

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His investment could be the first step on a road that leads to him own none other than Manchester United. Ronaldo's former team have been through a change of ownership structure in the last two years, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS acquiring a minority stake and taking control of the club's football operations.

Speaking at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards in 2024, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner spoke about United's struggles and hinted that he could fix their problems by becoming their owner. "The problem of Manchester United is the same," Ronaldo explained.

"The problem is not always the coach. It's much more than that. If I will be the owner of the club, I will make things clear and adjust things that are bad there."

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Ronaldo has acknowledged that retirement isn't far away, although he's under contract at Al-Nassr until June 2027. In November, the striker clarified what he meant by saying that he'll retire 'soon'.

"I'm really enjoying the moment right now," Ronaldo began. "As you know, in football, when you reach some age, you count the months very quick.

"I feel very good in this moment. I score goals, I still feel quick and sharp. I'm enjoying my game in the national team. But of course, let's be honest. What I mean by soon is probably one or two years."

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