Cristiano Ronaldo to pump millions into project with unlikely career change on horizon

Cristiano Ronaldo has been spotted dabbling in a new sport outside of the world of football, as he takes up padel. The Portuguese star has been seen playing a few matches with longtime friend Miguel Paixao, who he’s known since his Sporting days.

Not only is Ronaldo a fan of the sport, but he also plans to invest in padel and become an entrepreneur in the sport as a whole, contributing to an ambitious project in his homeland.

DirectTVSport reports that the 39-year-old aims to boost the growth of padel in Portugal and establish himself as a significant figure in both the sport and its business. Padel, often referred to as padel tennis, is a racket sport that hails from Mexico and involves two paddles and a tennis ball. It uses the same scoring system as tennis, but the technique, court size, and net distance differ.

The project, named Padel City, has received approval from Oeiras City Council and was developed by the Portuguese Padel Federation in collaboration with Smooth Odissey – a company owned by Ronaldo and businessman Filipe de Botton.

At present, the project is in its specialised licensing phase, but it’s anticipated that construction of the padel courts will commence soon, as per the Record. The Vale do Jamor area in Portugal will be home to 17 padel courts, with 15 of these being indoor to facilitate year-round play.

The plans also include a centre court with the capacity to accommodate over 2,000 spectators. Additional facilities such as a restaurant, gym and physiotherapy room will be part of the expansive 15,000 square metre complex.

This space will also serve as the new headquarters for the Portuguese Padel Federation. This project is just one of many business ventures Ronaldo is involved in outside of football, including his hotel brand Pestana Hotels, a clothing and underwear line, fitness centres in Saudi Arabia, and various real estate investments.

As per Celebrity Net Worth, Ronaldo is worth a cool $600 million (£466m) and is considered one of the highest-paid entertainers across the globe – further adding to his ability to pump some well needed funding into the sport of padel.

So while we might not see a complete career switch-up in the near future from the veteran footballer, his investments into other sports and businesses will cement his face in the future of the entertainment industry for years to come.