LONDON: Cristiano Ronaldo completed a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr in a deal that is a historic moment for Middle Eastern soccer but will see one of Europe's biggest stars disappear from the sport's elite stage. 

After Ronaldo agreed to a contract extension until June 2025, Al Nassr shared a photo of him holding up the team's jersey on social media. The club hailed the decision as "history in the making." This is a signing that, according to the club, "will not only motivate our team to reach even greater success, but also motivate our league, our country, and the next generation of boys and girls to be the best versions of themselves." 

It also provides Ronaldo, 37, with a big payment in what may be his final contract of his career. The Portugal star would become the highest-paid football player in history if he were to make up to USD 200 million a year from the contract, according to media sources. In a statement, Ronaldo expressed his desire to "experience a new football league in a different country." The forward added., "I am fortunate to have achieved what I set out to achieve in European football, and I feel that this is the ideal time to share my expertise in Asia.

The deal is a huge boost for Middle Eastern football, but it will also intensify the discussion surrounding Saudi Arabia's alleged use of "sportswashing" to improve its reputation abroad. Newcastle of the Premier League is owned by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, and the nation is thinking about bidding to host the 2030 World Cup.

Ronaldo was a free agent after Manchester United cancelled his contract following an inflammatory TV interview in which he criticised the club's owners and manager Erik ten Hag after being frequently benched and even briefly suspended. He recently had a dismal World Cup, in which Portugal lost to Morocco in the quarterfinals and he was benched in the knockout stages before leaving the pitch in tears.

And after an illustrious career that included Champions League victories with both United and Real Madrid as well as league and cup victories in England, Spain, and Italy, it now appears that he will play out his remaining years of his playing days outside of the spotlight of top-tier European football. Saudi Arabia beat eventual winner Argentina in its first group-stage match at the World Cup in Qatar last month, giving the country its largest international football victory ever. However, the domestic league has few other notable players and is not widely viewed internationally.
 

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