Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr only ‘for money’: Former Manchester United striker makes sensational claim

When Cristiano Ronaldo completed his move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, in a two-and-a-half-year contract, it was widely expected that the Portueguese superstar would lead the club to the pinnacle of success.

The move also made Ronaldo the highest-paid athlete in the world.

His contract worth a reported $200 million per year.

Now a former Manchester United striker has claimed that Ronaldo accepted the move to Saudi Arabia only for money.

“When you are young, yes, you play for passion. Back then, you don’t care about money. But at my age, I am in the final stretch of my career, I don’t know if it will be one, two years or when God will tell it to stop,” said Odion Ighalo told OmaSportsTV.

“I know it won’t be more than three years. I’ve played for passion all my life, now it’s for money. I’m not one of those players who come and say: ‘I play for passion’. Brother, it’s money. At the end of the day, it’s money,” said Ighalo, who played with Saudi Arabian clubs Al-Shabab and Al-Hilal.

“Is Ronaldo still playing out of passion? Ronaldo has earned 100 times more than I have in my entire life and yet he went to Saudi Arabia. Did he do that out of passion? It’s for money, bro.”

All said and done, Ronaldo’s arrival in Saudi Arabia has generated a lot of interest in the Saudi Professional League.

Only time will tell whether Cristiano Ronaldo will be a success in Saudi Arabia. However, there are reasons to be optimistic.