March 19 – LaLiga President Javier Tebas believes Cristiano Ronaldo’s involvement with UD Almería is already paying off – not just in visibility, but in commercial terms.
Speaking while presenting LaLiga’s 2024-25 Economic and Financial Report, Tebas described Ronaldo’s arrival as a “strategic asset” for the club, following the forward’s decision to acquire a 25% stake through CR7 Sports Investments.
Ronaldo, whose career features spells at Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United, has previously outlined ambitions to contribute to the game beyond his playing days. In Almería, that appears to be taking shape as a blend of ownership, branding and global reach.
Tebas pointed to an immediate uptick in the club’s digital footprint.
He said Almería’s social media following has increased by around 25% since Ronaldo’s involvement, with the club now ranking “fifth or sixth” in Spain by total followers. The key, he noted, is turning that audience into meaningful engagement – a metric that carries growing weight in sponsorship negotiations.
“If that translates into solid engagement it increases value when courting sponsors,” Tebas said, adding that the combination of audience size and interaction strengthens the club’s overall appeal to brands.
It is a familiar dynamic in modern football. Star power, even in an ownership capacity, can shift perception quickly – particularly for clubs operating outside the traditional elite. Ronaldo’s global profile effectively acts as a commercial accelerator, offering Almería access to markets and partners that might otherwise take years to develop.
Full marks off the pitch, but on it there is still work to do.
Under head coach Rubi, Almeria sit third, level on points with Deportivo La Coruna, as they push for automatic promotion back into the all-important top-flight. The final stretch of the season will determine whether the off-field gains are matched by real and immediate sporting progress.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]
