In a move that signals the beginning of his transition from player to executive, Cristiano Ronaldo has officially acquired a 25% stake in the Spanish second-division club UD Almeria. The announcement, made today, February 26, 2026, confirms the 41-year-old’s first major entry into football club ownership.
The “CR7 Sports” Expansion
The investment was finalized through CR7 Sports Investments, a newly formed subsidiary of his holding company, CR7 SA.
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The Partnership: Ronaldo joins an ownership group led by Saudi businessman Mohamed Al-Khereiji (President of the SMC Group), who took over the club in the summer of 2025.
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The Connection: Al-Khereiji and Ronaldo have a long-standing relationship; Al-Khereiji’s company also owns Al-Awwal Park, the home stadium where Ronaldo currently plays for Al Nassr.
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The Ambition: “I have long had the ambition to contribute to football beyond the pitch,” Ronaldo said in an official statement. “UD Almeria is a club with solid foundations and clear growth potential.”
Why Almeria?
The choice of the Andalusian club is strategic for several reasons:
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Familiarity: Having spent nine years at Real Madrid, Ronaldo has a deep understanding of the Spanish league system.
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Promotion Race: Almeria currently sits third in the Segunda División, just points away from automatic promotion back to La Liga.
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Infrastructure: Under Saudi ownership, the club has invested heavily in its academy and facilities, aligning with Ronaldo’s stated desire to build a “modern” footballing project.
The Manchester United Context
This move also brings back memories of Ronaldo’s 2024 interview, where he criticized the lack of progress at Manchester United. At the time, he jokingly—or perhaps prophetically—suggested that if he were an owner, he would “fix the things that are bad there.” While Almeria is a smaller scale than United, it serves as his first laboratory to test his “fix-it” philosophy.