via Imago
Cristiano Ronaldo L holds a team jersey of Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr with his name and No. 7 on it, in Madrid, Spain on Friday, December 30, 2022. Ronaldo has signed with the Saudi Arabian club in a deal worth a reported $200 million. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY SBN2022123103 AlxNassrxFC
via Imago
Cristiano Ronaldo L holds a team jersey of Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr with his name and No. 7 on it, in Madrid, Spain on Friday, December 30, 2022. Ronaldo has signed with the Saudi Arabian club in a deal worth a reported $200 million. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY SBN2022123103 AlxNassrxFC
Cristiano Ronaldo has completed a $200 per-year move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr FC and fans and pundits can’t stop reacting. The big money move came at the back of reports of no big European club showing interest in the Portuguese. However, while reacting to the news, NBA fans have dragged basketball legends like Michael Jordan and LeBron James into the conversation.
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Ronaldo fans are not happy to see him play in some unknown league away from Europe. Some fans have taken a dig at the ex-Manchester United star for accepting the lucrative offer. We are aware of the fact that the player wanted to stay in Europe, but his plans hit a dead end, making him accept the Al Nassr offer.
Fans bring Michael Jordan and LeBron James into the discussion
A Twitter user asked the users to explain the news of Ronaldo going to Saudi Arabia in NBA terms. Soon NBA fans entered the discussion and flooded the comments comparing the move to NBA legends moving to some low-tier leagues or teams.
One user wrote, “38 year old MJ going to China.” Other users were quick to point out the way Ronaldo left Manchester United by criticizing the club, its manager, and the players. One user somehow drew the comparison to Lionel Messi winning the World Cup.
38 year old MJ going to China
— َ (@BolWrld) December 30, 2022
Lebron's biggest rival wins a WC after years of being called a fraud and Lebron has a shitty year and signs with a Chinese team for 3 years
— johan_azimov (@johan_azimov) December 30, 2022
Lebron falling off drastically next season being waived by the Lakers and going straight to China for the biggest contract in basketball history
— Noam Shitrit Shammay (@noam_shasha) December 31, 2022
Lebron James goes to the shanghai sharks for a lot of money but he still wanted to compete for championships but still goes
— Robert 🪄 (@thegoat_rob) December 30, 2022
Lebron becomes washed and not a starter. Talks shit about his team before Olympics. Then is benched in the Olympics. Then signs with a Chinese team for 100 mil a year.
— LeStubborn (@The_NBAExpert) December 30, 2022
Some fans wrote NBA legends moving to China for big money or to the retirement leagues.
It's like Bron signing with Shanghai Sharks after terminating his contract with Lakers coz they aren't in the play-in
— K (@kartik_offl) December 30, 2022
Lebron James joins the Chinese Golden Bulls on a two year $200M contract. https://t.co/zmGBqMIP0q
— Jamzy 🚀 (@AbidJamzy) December 31, 2022
mj running from the grind to play midgets in hong kong https://t.co/iunftByz7G
— the usual suspect. (@akinDFB) December 30, 2022
Lebron or MJ moving to a retirement league at the end of their careers. No longer competing with the best at the top.
— Cameron Fletcher (@Cameron61260524) December 30, 2022
Michael Jordan to Wizards 💀 https://t.co/kRi7F07mDW
— Simbarashe Severa (@Carlsimz) December 31, 2022
Most of the users brought up LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Late Kobe Bryant was also mentioned by a few users. The imagination of social media users is always a talking point when some huge events occur in the field of sports involving top teams and athletes.
Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the highest-paid athlete
After signing a lucrative deal of $200 million per year that includes salary and endorsements, Ronaldo is now the highest-paid athlete surpassing his arch-rival Lionel Messi. The $500 million worth Portuguese will earn $500 million from the deal that runs for two-and-a-half years.
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It will help him to achieve a billionaire status as an athlete. Very few, like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods have achieved it. However, the deal takes Ronaldo away from elite European soccer, and might never get to play club soccer in Europe.
He will continue playing with the national team. It will be interesting to see whether he makes it to the Euro 2024 or not. We can also see Ronaldo taking on elite clubs in FIFA Club World Cup, provided that Al Nassr makes it to the competition. With PSG rethinking scheduling the postponed visit to Riyadh from January 2022, we might see Ronaldo-Messi face-off in the Riyadh Season Cup this January.
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Let us know your thoughts on the new innings for the Portuguese star and whether he will play in the UEFA Euro 2024.
