This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves, the club wrote. Football writer for over a decade, childhood hero was Zinedine Zidane. Al-Hilal fans were in strong voice, despite ultimately falling to a 5-0 defeat against Newcastle United. Each team is allowed up to eight international players, taking the total of foreigners this year to 128 from 48 different nationalities across the world. The highest earning player in the squad is Saad Bguir earning 16,000 per week. Nigerian forward Odion Ighalo topped the 2021/22 goalscoring charts with 24 league goals for Al-Hilal, matching the total of former teammate Bafetimbi Gomis from 2020/21. Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest big name to join the Saudi Arabia professional football league after signing with Al Nassr on a two and a half year deal in a record breaking deal. Cristiano Ronaldo becomes highest paid footballer as he joins Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr for $200 mn 3 Min (s) Read By AP Dec 31, 2022 3:00:50 PM IST (Updated) Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr posted a picture on social media of Cristiano Ronaldo holding up the team's jersey. Al-Hilal have dominated the Saudi Pro League since its inception in 1976, with 18 titles in total, including three in a row from 2019 to 2022. How much does a professional footballer in the United Arab Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr have most valuable How To Create Stock Screener In Tradingview, What Happened To The Friends Reunited Data, Fishing Reels Near Rome, Metropolitan City Of Rome. Nationality: Ghanaian. Cristiano Ronaldo wearing the Saudi All-Stars captain's armband @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/xjKR2RhO31. All eyes will be on whether negotiations advance any further. All Rights Reserved. Diaspora(View here), (Video)Coco Argente Egounou(Click to view), I am more than confident that Mr. Leo will one day win a Grammy after watching Omale George Enow. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will lock horns once again on Thursday. Al Nassr, founded in Riyadh in 1955, is one Saudi Arabia's oldest soccer clubs and has won nine Saudi Premier League titles. WebThe highest paid player in the Saudi Professional League is ver Banega whose salary is 166,000 per week and 8,632,000 per year. According toMundo Deportivo, the Saudis have offered Lionel Messi offer Messi 300 million ($463 million) or up to $507 million a year. What does carry mean in soccer? Luis Gustavo | Al-Hilal | 53,000 per week, 13. Cristiano Ronaldo is primed to make his Saudi Arabia debut in an exhibition match against Paris Saint-Germain, which could pit him against Lionel Messi. PSG is expected to play a friendly in Saudi Arabia later this month against a select side of players from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. pic.twitter.com/nttB07IgBb TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) January 15, 2023. A new development on the outskirts of Riyadh called the Qiddiya Project -- a sporting "city" that will also involve the construction of a Formula One race-track -- includes plans to build the Qiddiya Clifftop Stadium, which the two teams will share. Lionel Messi: What did Argentina star say when Montiel took World Cup final penalty? Full name: Felix Annan. At 37, Ronaldo is at the normal retirement age for a professional soccer player, so his signing extends his career with a significant financial return. Thrilling contests between arguably the two best players to have ever lived at the absolute height of their powers. 2. All rights reserved. Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund owns Premier League team Newcastle, and the country is considering a bid to host the 2030 World Cup. 400. Ronaldo has been available as a free agentfollowing his controversial exit from Manchester Unitedlast month, and the 37-year-old has opted to make a bold move to the Middle East. A Division of NBCUniversal. Cristiano Ronaldo joins Saudi club Al-Nassr - Becomes highest paid player in the world, "Emergency circumstances" - Paulinho and Al-Ahli terminate contract after 58 days, Loan with obligation to buy: West Brom defender Hegazy joins Al-Ittihad, Most expensive player in Saudi Arabia: Musa terminates contract with Al-Nassr, Al-Nassr FC, Al-Hilal Saudi FC, Al-Shabab Club (Riyadh), Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah), Ettifaq FC, Al-Taawoun FC, Al-Fateh, Damac FC, Al-Wehda FC, Al-Tai, Al-Fayha FC, Abha Club, Al-Khaleej, Al-Raed, Al-Batin FC, Al-Adalah FC. The two giants will meet in Riyadh on January 19 in a friendly. Prominent soccer reporter Fabrizio Romano outlined the contract deal in a tweet, calling it the "biggest salary ever in football.". The proceeds will reportedly be donated to charity Saudi Arabias Ehsan fund. Ronaldo will captain his side against a PSG team also containing Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. A the time, he chose to stay at Manchester United, saying he was happy there. We want to hear from you. Date of birth: 22 November 1994. EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Paris Saint Germain forward, Lionel Messi could be the highest-paid footballer in the history of football if he accepts the mouthwatering 288 million per year offer from Saudi Arabia side Al-Hilal. Media reports have claimed the Portugal star could be earning Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Cristiano Ronaldo | Al-Nassr | 3.6million a week. Tony Nwakeme | Al Fayha | 47,000 per week, 15. Cuyler "Huke" Garland is the highest earning Saudi player with $738,685.58 USD in prize money won overall, with $345,250.00 USD or 46.74% won from playing in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare tournaments. QUIZ: How much do you remember about football in 2022? 1. Click here to give us five stars rating! Ronaldo played in his last World Cup during the Qatar 2022 tournament, setting a new record as the first man to score in five different FIFA World Cups when he made the winning goal against Ghana. Mussa Marega | Al-Hilal | 81,000 per week, 6.Vincent Aboubakar | Al-Nassr | 96,000 per week, 5. Saudi Arabia is known for splashing massive cash on players who have made a name for themselves in Europe with the likes of former Napoli Goalkeeper David Ospina, former Porto striker Vincent Aboubakar, former Manchester United player Odion Ighalo all currently playing in the league and are all amongst the highest paid players in the country. Saudi Arabia's incredible 2-1 win over Argentina at Qatar 2022 was one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Aside from former United striker Ighalo, who joined Al Hilal from Al-Shabab earlier this year, players like former Argentina midfielder Ever Banega (Al-Shabab), Brazilian midfielder Paulinho (Al-Fayha), ex-Porto striker Moussa Marega (Al Hilal) and former Arsenal and Napoli goalkeeper David Ospina (Al-Nassr) all play in Saudi Arabia. Your email address will not be published. Ronaldo's contract at Manchester United saw him earning an eye-watering $605,000 per week. Saudi Telecom and Mobily, a Saudi Arabian telecommunications company, have agreed lucrative club sponsorships in recent years. Got a confidential news tip? Al-Hilal have dominated the Saudi Pro League since its inception in 1976, with 18 titles in total, including three in a row from 2019 to 2022. During the nine years that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo played together in Spain, we were treated to a total of 25 El Clsico matchups between rival clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Cuyler "Huke" Garland is the highest Cristiano Ronaldo has become the highest paid player in history after joining Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr. The last time the two GOATs faced off Ronaldos Juventus prevailed 3-0 over Barcelona in the Champions League. Welcome Cristiano to your new home AlNassrFC. In August, Roshn, a real estate developer, agreed a five-year deal worth 478 million Riyal (105m / $127m) for naming rights to the Saudi Pro League. CNN and the CNN logo are registered marks of Cable News Network, LP LLLP, displayed with permission. Ronaldo said in a statement that he was eager to experience a new football league in a different country.". It was much the same message that came back from Ronaldo's camp when Saudi Pro League champions Al Hilal made what was described as an obscene offer for his services last summer and when their rivals Al Nassr made a similar proposal in the final days of August. The RPL's broadcasting deal with the Saudi Sports Company was agreed earlier this year at a figure of 300 million Saudi Riyal a year ($80m). Al Nassr posted a picture on social media of the five-time Ballon dOr holding up the team's jersey after Ronaldo signed a deal until June 2025, with the club hailing the move as history in the making.. Money would be an obvious motivation, too, even for a player of Ronaldo's wealth and success, but there is also the added element in Saudi Arabia's desire to host the 2030 World Cup. Luis Suarez enjoys dream Gremio debut - scores stunning hat-trick in 38 minutes, BBC FA Cup prank: Alan Shearer had viewers in stitches with Danny Murphy comment. Al Hilal has won 18 league titles and finished as runner-up on 15 occasions. 2023 Sports New Media Limited. WebWho is Saudi Arabia's highest paid player? Ramon Diaz, the former River Plate coach, is the manager at Al Hilal. Read also. Multiple outlets have cited Ronaldos salary with Al Nassr at around $200 million per year when commercial agreements are included-which, if confirmed, would be the largest-ever salary in the history of the sport. Jan 13, 2023. in Sports Al-Hilal has offered Messi a new contract to make him the highest paid player. The Qiddiya Project is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to transform Saudi society by the end of this decade. beIN Sports will broadcast the match in all its territories, including the Middle East, North America and Australasia. The number of teams in the league has increased from 10 in the inaugural 1976/77 season to 16 in 2022/23. 26.4m. In addition to Ronaldo's soccer achievements is his immense social media following something likely of high value to the Saudi kingdom as it seeks to draw more positive attention to the country. This would indeed make Messi the highest-paid player in the world, overtaking Ronaldos contract reportedly worth US$200 million (AU$297.5 million) to play for Al-Nassr FC from only a few months ago. And what would the experience be like in Saudi Arabia? All about Saudi Pro League as Cristiano Ronaldo moves to Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr, following his controversial exit from Manchester United, The highest-paid football players in the world in 2022. 400. While the kingdom has yet to formally launch a bid, sources have told ESPN that is likely to happen in early 2023; who better to raise the profile of Saudi Arabian football than one of the two most recognisable footballers on the planet? It arguably wouldn't be for the football challenge given that Ronaldo has previously played in the Premier League, Spanish LaLiga and Italy's Serie A, though he might be motivated by the prospect helping Al-Nassr halt Al Hilal's dominance. They are also the reigning Asian champions. Ronaldo, who turns 38 next month, is yet to make his debut for his new employers. Cristiano Ronaldo, Vincent Aboubakar, David Ospina, Odion Ighalo are some of the highest paid players in the Saudi Arabia professional football league. After an amazing Performance by the dark invader at the 2022 fifa world cup and scoring 2 goals with one, Multi-award Winning sports journalist Ade Divine believes the Dark Ivader, Vincent Aboubakar can play on the pitch with Choupo, Vincent Aboubakar has reportedly rejected an offer from French giants Olympique de Marseille. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Cristiano Ronaldo's future is the subject of intense speculation following Manchester United's decision to cancel the 37-year-old's contract last month. What is the right outside back? You can find all of the latestfootballnewsand rumours right here. #Messi #Ronaldo match in Saudi Arabia to air on beIN Sports Xtra pic.twitter.com/fplWjyX4Qg. Cristiano is yet to make his debut for his new club, having missed the past two matches due to a suspension by the Football Association (FA) for smashing the phone of a young supporter earlier last year. Turki Al-Sheikh, the head of the Saudi entertainment authority, announced Ronaldos captaincy by putting an armband on the Portuguese star in a video shared on Twitter. 100. Who won the 2022 World Cup? The salaries of sporting figures in Saudi Arabia are not made public, but sources have told ESPN that Al Hilal and Al-Nassr pay the highest salaries, with former Manchester United forward Odion Ighalo reportedly earning 250,000 per week at Al Hilal. Aboubakar who has been having a year, Ronaldo to Manchester city is a done deal according to Portuguese journalist Goncalo Lopez. WebAbha Club have a total of 26 players in their home squad. Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and others to bring you the latest highlights and debate the biggest storylines. A Saudi real estate mogul won a ticket to see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi face off after bidding $2.6 million at auction. Earlier this year it was announced that Al Hilal and Al-Nassr will move to a new 40,000-capacity stadium. The Portuguese team was later knocked out of the tournament by Morocco. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. Aside from Ronaldo, Brazilian star Anderson Talisca is the standout name in the Saudi Pro League alongside former West Bromwich Albion winger Matheus Pereira. According to multiple reports, the 37-year-old former Manchester United ace was given the armband and his shirt that he will be wearing in Thursdays monumental clash. LIVE Transfer Talk: Barca eye Man City's Gundogan to mentor Gavi, Pedri, How Chelsea beat Arsenal to signing of Shakhtar sensation Mudryk, Arsenal take big step towards Premier League title, Barcelona's statement win over Real Madrid, more, The VAR Review: Unpacking Marcus Rashford's offside in Manchester derby, Messi vs. Ronaldo: Their head-to-head record and most memorable clashes, Italy get elegant marble makeover with first jerseys of new Adidas kit deal. No. Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest big name to join the Saudi Arabia professional football league after signing with Al Nassr on a two and a half year deal in a record breaking deal. Who is Argentina. The teams total wage bill is: 10,160,800 per year 195,400 per week Active Squad: According to the source, the players are "treated like rock stars.". It became fully professional in 2007, with league football initially beginning in 1976 with eight teams. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Another source told ESPN that Saudi players earn money comparable to the salaries paid by Premier League clubs, with no personal income tax obligations in the country. What is 20? The 37-year-olds move to the Saudi Arabian side was confi The Saudi Arabian team Al-Nassr FC has emerged as a suitor, prepared to pay Ronaldo a reported 200 million a year to move to the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo will pocket a whopping 177million-a-YEAR salary at Al Nassr becoming the highest-paid athlete in history. They play at the 67,000-capacity King Fahd Stadium, while Al-Nassr's Mrsool Park only holds 25,000 spectators. Last Updated: January 17, 2023, 10:03 IST, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (IANS). Kelechi Iheanacho player profile: net worth, salary in naira, cars, Bidding on a special ticket started at a cool 220,000 and went on to fetch a staggering 2.2 million. Saudi clubs are known for their ability to offer foreign players large paychecks, particularly as the oil-rich and conservative kingdom builds up its sports, entertainment and other industries to attract tourism, talent and investment that will help diversify its economy. Al-Ittihad remain the only Saudi Arabian team to win successive titles in the newly formatted AFC Champions League (post 2002), with victories in 2004 and 2005. Image via Instagram @cristiano. South American U-20 Championship put Messi and Cavani on the map. By contrast, in the United Kingdom, earnings above 125,000 per year are taxed at a rate of 40%. Kevin De Bruyne Ronaldo is the highest goal-scorer in the history of professional soccer, with a total of 819 careergoals scored as of the end of 2022. Cristiano Ronaldo. MORE:The highest-paid football players in the world in 2022. A Saudi real estate mogul won a ticket to see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi face off after bidding $2.6 million at auction. Saudi Pro League Abdullah Otaif | Al-Hilal | 43,000 per week, 18. The top four teams qualify for the Asian Champions League: Saudi champions Al Hilal are the reigning Asian champions and are the competition's most successful club, with four titles -- one ahead of South Korea's Pohang Steelers. Moreover, Ronaldo will be captaining the Saudi All-Star XI, which will include players from both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. Always Banega | Al-Shabab | 166,000 per week, 1. And the recent news that Lionel Messi has received an astonishing offer from Al Hilal SFC points towards the possibility of seeing this old rivalry played out as El Cashico in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabias chairman of general authority for entertainment, Turki Al-Sheikh shared a video of presenting the five-time Ballon dOr winner with the captains armband. Or, perhaps, he will be the big attraction that ensures capacity crowds wherever he plays in the kingdom. Ronaldo, 37, will receive a whopping USD 75 million per year to become the top paid player in football history. The deal runs for three years, with the TV revenue split evenly between the 16 clubs. The Saudi Pro League is one of the most competitive in the region and possibly across Asia as well, due to the wealth of the competition and depth of squads. Content is copyrighted and you stand a chance of losing your adsense account, Download: Cheers to 2023 Afrobeats mixtape Dj Yamo 237, The stars are Watching by Mic Monsta becomes first Cameroonian album by a rapper to hit 1M streams in 5 months. But how likely is it that Ronaldo will leave European club football to play out his career in the Middle East? Yet nobody can compete with Al Hilal right now. "I am excited to experience a new football league in a different country," Ronaldo said in Al-Nassr's statement announcing the deal as quoted by ESPN. Saudi Arabia will welcome one of the biggest names in football in 2023 after Cristiano Ronaldo agreed a free transfer to Al Nassr. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may once again square off on the football field when the Saudi Arabia All-Stars team plays PSG in a friendly on January 19 in Riyadh.. On January 19, an All-Star team consisting of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal will meet PSG in a friendly, giving fans "This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. The biggest and most successful team in Saudi Arabia are Al Hilal, based in the capital, Riyadh. Cristiano Ronaldo's time in Saudi Arabia is set to begin, who sit 10th in the league table. Multiple outlets have cited Ronaldo's salary with Al Nassr at around $200 million per year when commercial agreements are included which, if confirmed, would be the largest-ever salary in the history of the sport. Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, two eminent Saudi Professional League clubs, will both have players on the Saudi All-Stars roster facing PSG. Cristiano Ronaldo and his family have finally had a moment of them after hectic few days in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, following a move from Manchester United to Al Nassr FC. All Rights Reserved. Does it help managers to go public with transfer desires?