Cristiano Ronaldo will become an ambassador for Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid as part of the deal that has seen him join Al-Nassr.
The superstar attacker completed his move to the Saudi Pro League side on Friday night, ahead of the January transfer window. He will earn a staggering £173million per year through his basic salary, bonuses and image rights.
Al-Nassr have also inserted a separate clause into his new contract, one which mimics a deal Lionel Messi has also signed with the Middle Eastern country. Negotiations continued during the World Cup and were finally completed this week to see Ronaldo leave Europe for the first time.
According to Marca, a clause in his new contract will see Ronaldo become an ambassador for the Saudi bid for the 2030 World Cup. The Middle Eastern country is understood to be lining up a joint bid with Egypt and Greece for the right to host the tournament in six years.
The Paris Saint-Germain superstar is thought to earn more than £20m per year in return for him promoting the tourism to the country. Messi has already been paraded by the Saudi state during a visit in May.
Ronaldo will represent Saudi’s image abroad, with his arrival said to be considered a ‘matter of state’. The deal follows that of Messi’s own move to become an ambassador for Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo’s decision to follow in Messi’s footsteps to become an ambassador for the country will likely concern human rights groups. Saudi Arabia has been accused of a litany of abuses, including the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, mass executions and the persecution of the LGBT+ community.
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