CR7 is an amalgamation of the famous number 7 jersey and the first letters of Cristiano Ronaldo’s name. One of the greatest football players ever, the Portuguese national is also one of the highest-earning sportspeople on earth. Yet this has not just come from transfers and wages, with his aforementioned brand being his main business venture. But is this just a vanity project, or a real, lucrative income stream for the player?
The CR7 brand
Ronaldo is currently playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. He moved there in January 2023 and has remained with the club ever since. However, his career as a player is coming to an end as he ages. Thus, CR7 is a means for him to continue making income and remaining in the public eye.
A current scan of Ronaldo’s website shows just how many products and innovations lie under the CR7 brand. Ursu Water sits at the top, followed by fitness apps, fragrances, underwear, and footwear. It’s a mixed bag, but everything seems to fall neatly under the sports and wellness umbrella.
Added to this are a host of other ventures. These include a hotel chain in conjunction with the Pestana brand. Beginning in Portugal, they are now dotted sporadically around the globe. Ronaldo has also moved into opening his own hair transplant clinics.
Where could the expansion go next?
One place the brand could expand that has not been touched on yet is the casino resort sector. Ronaldo has long been a sponsor of sportsbooks, poker companies and is a well-known casino aficionado himself. The footfall in these physical buildings has been boosted by popularity in the online sector, with offerings like a British casino bonus in territories like the United Kingdom letting people play from the comfort of home.
As a purveyor of hospitality in his association with Pestana, a casino resort would not be out of the question. Many of these are turning into multifunction spaces, catering to music, comedy, and other events. It would be a huge undertaking and require lots of capital, but in cities such as Las Vegas that are trying to rebuild footfall, a venture by one of the globe’s most famous sportsmen would be welcomed with open arms.
The revenue from CR7
Trying to get an exact revenue stream from CR7 is tough. This is because where sports contracts, CR7, and Cristiano Ronaldo actually start and end is hard to decipher. His current contract with Saudi Arabia is worth £153.5m per year, but little of that came from actually playing football.
Much of it was linked to commercial deals and rights for his image. Tabloids in the UK even reported that as part of the deal, he would receive a 15% stake in Al-Nassr, though this is unconfirmed. Others stated he would have a house staff of 16 people paid for by the club.
Outside of this contract, he is estimated to earn €150 million in advertising contracts. Reports have also said his companies are worth $900 million. All in, this makes him a comfortable billionaire before he has even retired from club football.
