Cristiano Ronaldo has officially become a football club owner and appears to be positioning himself for a potential future financial involvement at Manchester United. The Old Trafford legend confirmed on Thursday that he has acquired a 25 per cent stake in Spanish outfit Almeria.

This marks the beginning of a fresh chapter for the 41-year-old, whose playing days are still going at Al-Nassr. Nevertheless, the foundations are already being established for what awaits when he departs the Saudi Pro League. Indeed, one might argue Ronaldo has been preparing the groundwork for his transition into club ownership for some time. The five-time Ballon d’Or recipient has certainly made no secret of his ambitions to invest once his own time on the pitch concludes. And there’s a strong possibility that journey could eventually lead back to United if Ronaldo has his way. Express Sport examines every subtle (and some rather obvious) indication and clue Ronaldo has dropped suggesting he’s destined for a United takeover.

‘Fixing’ United comments

In characteristic Ronaldo style, the striker has previously said he can guide United beyond the turbulent post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. He fell short of achieving this during an unsuccessful second stint as a player, which concluded in late 2022, but has since made rather bold assertions about restoring the Red Devils to their former dominance as an investor.

During the 2024 Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo implied he would rectify matters if he held ownership of the club and said: “The problem of Manchester United is the same.

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“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.”

For what it’s worth, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s spell as minority stakeholder does seem to be producing positive results with Michael Carrick leading the squad. That said, there remains considerable ground to cover before the club returns to the levels it achieved during Ronaldo’s initial period under Ferguson.

Investment landmark

This week’s revelation that Ronaldo was backing Almeria could mark a pivotal moment for football in general. Not simply due to the high-profile name now associated with the club’s ownership structure, but because of the insight it offers into a future without Ronaldo on the pitch.

The more deeply someone like Ronaldo commits to such a venture, the smoother his transition from playing the beautiful game will become. Furthermore, it’s not difficult to imagine that while this represents his initial foray into ownership, his investment portfolio could grow substantially before long.

Through his company, CR7 Sports Investments, he said in a press release: “It has been a long-time ambition of mine to contribute to football beyond the pitch…I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the club’s next phase of growth.”

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Ronaldo joins a growing list of prominent sporting figures and former athletes who have acquired stakes in Spanish clubs. His Brazilian counterpart, Ronaldo Nazario, owns second-division outfit Real Valladolid, while NBA icons Steve Nash and Steve Kerr hold shares in Mallorca.

The shift may not happen overnight, but triumph with one acquisition will probably pave the way for additional investments. While securing a portion of the United empire might not be feasible presently, such a move will likely be regarded as part of Ronaldo’s end goal.

Glazer family criticism

“Anything you can do, I can do better.” It wouldn’t be Cristiano Ronaldo if some element of his mindset didn’t embrace that philosophy across most pursuits, and the Glazer family is no exception.

Difficulties existed at United throughout Ronaldo’s initial spell, although Ferguson succeeded in achieving success regardless. Nevertheless, it subsequently became increasingly apparent just how entrenched certain issues were, with Ronaldo proving eager to highlight them as his second period at Old Trafford concluded dramatically.

“The Glazers, they don’t care about the club,” he said during a 2022 interview with Piers Morgan, which predictably resulted in his second exit. “Manchester is a marketing club. They will get money from the marketing-the sport, they don’t really care, in my opinion.”

Squad investment wasn’t the sole area where Ronaldo believed financial backing fell short. He additionally condemned the club’s inability to modernise particular facilities since his initial spell concluded more than a decade earlier in 2009.

“Nothing has changed,” he remarked when discussing the club’s gym, dining and swimming pool facilities. United evidently agreed to some extent, given improvements to those same areas became key priorities following Ratcliffe’s arrival at the club in 2024 to oversee football operations.

Ownership aspirations

Contrary to certain perceptions regarding his managerial potential, Ronaldo has consistently made clear he harbours no interest in that aspect of the game. That said, he’s been forthright about a possible future in club ownership for quite some time.

“Becoming a head coach or manager? No,” he said at the Globe Soccer Awards in December 2024. “But maybe I could become a club owner.”

For those questioning whether he could financially support such a venture, Ronaldo’s wealth is unmatched among current or former footballers. At least that’s according to Bloomberg, which reported in 2025 that the Portuguese superstar had become football’s first genuine billionaire.

It was back in 2023 that Ronaldo said: “I don’t rule out becoming a club owner. It’s something I thought about a few years back. I probably would like to own a [football] club. I’m at the end of my career, two to three years maximum.”

Three years have now passed since he made those remarks, and the ambition has been achieved. Given Ronaldo’s well-known, relentless drive, however, the goal will not be truly satisfied until he holds the reins of a club that is genuinely dear to him.