Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most recognized footballers on the planet, has signed a new contract that is breaking records everywhere. This contract is unlike any other. Not just financially interesting. Also a little wild. The value of the agreement is so huge that experts are calling it the biggest contract in sports history. But what really has everyone talking are the extra benefits that come with it. From private jets to dozens of personal staff, this deal is more than just football. And he’s not the only one to get such extras.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr deal includes $700 million, private jets, and 16 personal staff
In December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo made a deal with Saudi Arabian professional football club Al Nassr. The 40-year-old made the decision to sign from Manchester United, where Christiani Ronaldo accepted a two-year contract worth, potentially $700 million and by contract Christiano Ronaldo could take $244.4 million, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano and reported by The Sun.But the money is only one part. Christiano Ronaldo also gets a $33.6 million signing bonus, $5.5 million if he scores the most goals in the Saudi Pro League, and $5.5 million in private jet credits. He also receives 15% ownership in the club and around $82.4 million in sponsorship deals with Saudi brands. On top of all this, Al Nassr will provide 16 full-time personal staff to support his daily life.Another major benefit: Saudi Arabia doesn’t charge income tax. So, Christiano Ronaldo keeps more of his earnings than he would in Europe. “He’s probably getting paid as much as the entire league is generating in revenue,” said Victor Matheson, a sports economist, to MarketWatch.
Lionel Messi, David Beckham, and even CEOs have received similar perks
Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t the first to get extras in a contract. In 2023, Lionel Messi signed with Inter Miami and got deals with Apple TV and Adidas. He earns a part of the money from Apple’s MLS streaming service, as reported by Sportico.Back in 2007, David Beckham’s deal with LA Galaxy included the right to buy an MLS team later. He now owns Inter Miami. “Beckham’s deal worked out really well,” Matheson said.Even big company CEOs get extra perks. In 2022, Meta paid $6 million for Mark Zuckerberg’s jet travel. Salesforce CEO Mark Benioff was allowed $3 million for security and $1.6 million for flights.
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