Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo may play his next club season with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr for a record-setting amount, roughly €200 million per season (just over $210 million in U.S. dollars), according to a report from Madrid newspaper Marca.
Ronaldo, 37, who recently departed from English club Manchester United
MANU,
undefined
after an interview with the U.K.’s Piers Morgan earlier in November during which he criticized some of his teammates and coaches, has reportedly been offered a deal to play for Al Nassr for two and a half years beginning on Jan. 1, 2023.
A yearly salary over $200 million would dwarf previous earnings for any athlete in any sport. The highest paid athletes from salary or winnings in 2022 were boxer Canelo Álvarez at $84 million, Lionel Messi at $72 million, and NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford at $70.3 million, according to Sportico.
See also: Budweiser says it will award unconsumed Qatar beer to the World Cup winner
Al Nassr is one of the more successful soccer clubs in Saudi Arabia, although the Saudi Pro League (SPL) is not widely considered one of the world’s top soccer leagues.
Ronaldo is a five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or award, a five-time Champions League winner. He made $115 million in 2022 from his salary and endorsement portfolio.
Ronaldo has not yet commented on the rumors of a new deal between him and the Saudi club, as he is currently playing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar for his country Portugal. Ronaldo and Portugal take on Switzerland on Tuesday in the knockout stage of the tournament.
