Cristiano Ronaldo poised for Monumental return to play in Spain

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner last played in Spain while representing Manchester United.

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to lace up his boots on Spanish soil for the first time in three years when Al Nassr take on Almería in a pre-season friendly.

Al Nassr might have missed out on the FIFA Club World Cup, but the Saudi outfit has still had a busy summer.

The club locked down Ronaldo with a two-year contract extension and just recently secured João Félix’s signature in a reported deal worth up to £43.7 million ($58.7 million).

Although there still might be more transfers to be made, Al Nassr must turn their attention to their upcoming European pre-season tour.

Jorge Jesus’s men are headed to Austria, England and Spain to prepare for the 2025–26 season, which starts in just over three weeks.

The action-packed schedule gives Ronaldo the chance to once again play in Spain, where he spent nine years starring for Real Madrid.

Al Nassr’s tour concludes with a match at UD Almería Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 10.

Ronaldo is no stranger to the venue in Southern Spain; the Portuguese superstar previously scored four goals in as many appearances at UD Almería Stadium during his years in a white shirt.

The 40-year-old missed out last year when Al Nassr faced off with Almería, prolonging his long-awaited homecoming in Spain.

Ronaldo last played on Spanish soil in 2022 when Manchester United clashed with Real Sociedad in the Europa League.

Many fans throughout Spain will be eager to welcome Ronaldo back to the county where he took his already successful career to new heights.

The Portugal captain won 16 trophies with Real Madrid, including four Champions League titles, and holds just about every goalscoring record in club history.

Although Ronaldo will now be sporting a yellow shirt, he will still garner a crowd of those hoping to see one of the greatest players of all time impress in person.

There is a chance, though, that the forward sits out of the game with Al Nassr’s Super Cup bout with Al Ittihad just nine days later.