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Cristiano Ronaldo may reportedly become a part owner of his current club Al Nassr as part of an acquisition plan by American investment management firm RedBird Capital Partners.
Established by Gerry Cardinale, RedBird has made significant inroads into the soccer world by acquiring majority ownership of Ligue 1 club Toulouse in 2020 and completing the purchase of a majority stake in AC Milan in 2022. The investment firm also holds a 10% interest in Fenway Sports Group, the conglomerate that owns Liverpool.
Speaking with La Gazetta dello Sport, Cardinale disclosed that adding Al Nassr to RedBird's portfolio remains a possibility, while also admitting he is keen on speaking with Ronaldo about his vision for the future.
"There have been discussions to assess the Al Nassr opportunity," Cardinale said. "They've reached out to me to explore it, but we're still in the early stages. I'm very active in the Middle East."
"I'd love to sit down with Ronaldo because I'm genuinely curious about what he might want to pursue after retirement and what his future role with the Saudi club could look like. I'll keep evaluating the prospects of a multi-club arrangement, given that I already have Toulouse and AC Milan."
Al Nassr is currently under the ownership of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). Reports had previously suggested that receiving Al Nassr shares was among the incentives that drew Ronaldo to the club in 2023, though he currently holds no ownership interest in the team.
However, ESPN reports that Ronaldo would be granted a minority stake in the reigning Saudi Pro League champions as part of RedBird's proposed takeover.
Ronaldo Could Follow in Lionel Messi's Footsteps
Should RedBird move forward with its Al Nassr takeover and Ronaldo does become a minority owner, his post-retirement path could mirror that of his greatest rival: Lionel Messi.
Messi continues to perform at an elite level in MLS with Inter Miami, but ever since his arrival in south Florida in the summer of 2023, his contract has included a provision allowing him to transition into a minority ownership role with the Herons once he decides to retire. While the exact size of his stake remains unclear, the option is firmly in place.
Beyond Miami, the club would represent just one piece of Messi's expanding ownership portfolio. The Argentine icon appears to be accumulating ownership shares across various clubs like infinity stones, with a collection that now spans five different teams around the globe — and it continues to grow.
Ronaldo himself is no stranger to club ownership. Back in April, the Portuguese legend acquired a 25% stake in Saudi-owned Spanish club Almería, a side he faced on numerous occasions during his Real Madrid tenure. The Andalusian club currently competes in La Liga 2.
Interestingly, one of the clubs within Messi's ownership portfolio, CD Eldense, also competes in La Liga 2. Should both legends continue pursuing ownership ventures after hanging up their boots, their storied rivalry could well extend from the pitch to the boardroom.
What Cristiano Ronaldo Has Said About Retirement Plans
Ronaldo has not shied away from discussing retirement in recent years, even telling Vogue in the summer of 2026 that the current season could very well be the last of his playing career.
The 41-year-old icon has also noted on several occasions that he began planning for life after soccer in his mid-to-late 20s, pursuing business ventures both within and outside the sport that have since made him the first billionaire soccer player in history.
Beyond his ownership of Almería, Ronaldo has built personal brands spanning underwear, watches, fragrances, and footwear. He also operates gyms across Spain and Portugal, hair transplant clinics, and has partnered with the Pestana Hotel Group to launch CR7 Lifestyle Hotels in Portugal, Spain, New York, and Morocco.
"I've been planning for my future since I was 27, 28," Ronaldo said in 2025. "With many businesses, things that can motivate me, things where I can contribute. Things I can do to help society, the youth. Not only with hotels, clinics or recovery businesses, but also things I can spend time doing and enjoying. I want to learn about other sectors where I feel I can make a difference."
For now, however, Ronaldo remains laser-focused on becoming the first player in history to surpass the 1,000-career-goal milestone — a mark he currently sits just 15 goals short of. That is one of what he has described as two "final missions" of his career, the other being helping Portugal successfully defend its UEFA Nations League title.
Yet the end is undeniably approaching for one of the greatest footballers of all time. Even so, Ronaldo is already laying the groundwork to stay deeply connected to the sport long after his playing days are over.