“Everyone has enough money” – Al-Nassr star explains how entire squad was unbothered by Cristiano Ronaldo’s massive contract at the club
Al-Nassr winger Jaloliddin Masharipov has claimed that there is no fuss in the Al-Aalami camp about the amount of money Cristiano Ronaldo earns at the club.
Manchester United parted ways with Ronaldo by mutual consent in November. The decision came on the back of the player's controversial interview with Piers Morgan.
Ronaldo went on to play for Portugal at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as a free agent. Meanwhile, in his own words, he fielded offers from several countries in Europe, Brazil, Australia, and the United States.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, though, eventually joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr in December. Just a few months after rejecting a move to the Middle East, he put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year deal with Al-Aalami.
Convincing a player of his caliber to move away from Europe and into the Middle East, though, understandably required Al-Nassr to flex their financial muscle-power. By joining the Saudi Pro League club, Cristiano Ronaldo has become the highest-paid footballer in the world.
The Portuguese icon allegedly earns a mouthwatering £173 million a year at the Riyadh-based club. Al-Aalami have thus left themselves exposed to the risk of causing a rift between players on their team.
Masharipov, though, has insisted that none of his teammates at Al-Nassr are bothered about Ronaldo's wages. The Uzbekistan international explained that it is understandable that the forward earns such a sum, while also revealing that other players at the club are paid fairly. He told Sports.ru [via Sports.uz]:
"My teammates didn't even say anything about Ronaldo's income. The reason is that, while the rest of the players are also good, he is one of the biggest names in the history of football.
"It is natural that such a performer is paid a lot of money. Everyone has their own contract. He gets that amount, that's it. Everyone has enough money."
Cristiano Ronaldo and family settle into life in Saudi Arabia
Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr led to speculation about whether he would be able to live with his partner Georgina Rodriguez. The law in Saudi Arabia notably prevents unmarried couples from cohabiting.
However, the pair have been living together in the Middle Eastern country without any problems since moving there. Rodriguez recently shared pictures from the family's trip to an amusement park in Riyadh on her Instagram, rubbishing claims of a living crisis.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has gone on to make three appearances across all competitions for Al-Nassr. He scored his first goal for the club in their 2-2 draw against Al-Fateh last week.