Ronaldo rejects €6m offer to be the face of Saudi Arabia tourism
Five-time Ballon d’or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has turned down a lucrative offer from the Saudi Arabia tourism authority to be the face of the country’s drive to market itself as an attractive holiday destination.
The commercial deal, believed to be worth around €6 million (£5.35million) a year, was passed on by Ronaldo, now the game’s most prolific goalscorer, and one of the most commercially successful sportsmen in history.
The Daily Telegraph has learnt that Lionel Messi, the other great player of the current generation and Ronaldo’s long-term rival at the top of the world game, has also been approached. The Argentine’s management said that they did not comment on commercial projects and declined to confirm that the six-time
Ballon d’or winner had been approached. Ronaldo’s representatives also declined to comment.
Famous footballers remain the most marketable individuals on the planet, but accepting a commercial deal with Saudi Arabia would attract criticism for endorsing a regime accused of human rights abuses and its role in the civil war in Yemen.
The deal on offer is understood to include the player making visits to Saudi Arabia and his image being used in all promotional material.
Saudi Arabia is trying to establish itself as a global destination and has used sport as a means to do so – including the staging of the Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah in January last year, where Barcelona’s then manager,
Ernesto Valverde, admitted: “We are here because of the money.”
British world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was criticised for agreeing to stage his world title rematch against Andy Ruiz Jnr there in December 2019. At the time, Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, defended the decision partly on the grounds that political reforms were taking place in Saudi Arabia.
Amnesty International has criticised Formula One for agreeing a deal to stage a grand prix in Saudi Arabia as the penultimate race in its 2021 calendar, saying the decision ignored the plight of jailed women’s human rights defenders.
The Premier League blocked the £300million purchase of 80 per cent of Newcastle United last year by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, when the latter refused to disclose the details around those who would be in ultimate control of the club. The PIF is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the 35-year-old principal power of the kingdom, who is accused of human rights breaches and denies personally ordering the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.