Ronaldo and Cardinale lead shock bid to buy Al‑Nassr

Saudi football is bracing for a seismic off‑field development as a high‑profile consortium prepares a formal bid to acquire Al‑Nassr from the Public Investment Fund. According to A Bola, the group includes RedBird Capital founder Gerry Cardinale, Cristiano Ronaldo and businessmen Ibrahim Al‑Muhaidib, Mohammed Al‑Khuraiji and Sharaf Al‑Hariri. Each investor would commit roughly €92 million, injecting unprecedented capital into the Riyadh club.

Cardinale, already owner of Milan and Toulouse, is reportedly aiming to expand RedBird’s global football footprint, while Ronaldo could transition from star player to co‑owner of the team he represents. An emergency meeting between RedBird, the consortium and PIF officials is scheduled within forty‑eight hours to determine whether the government fund will relinquish control or halt negotiations. Expectations in Riyadh are immense, with the potential deal viewed as a transformative moment for Saudi football and a move capable of reshaping Al‑Nassr’s future on and off the pitch.