COLUMN: How would you feel about Cristiano Ronaldo running your club?

The notion of Cristiano Ronaldo owning a football club is no longer hypothetical for UD Almeria fans. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has acquired a 25% stake in the club, with his Saudi business partners holding the remainder. While his exact intentions and proposed role remain largely undisclosed, his influence is certainly a topic of discussion. Rubi, the head coach for the LaLiga2 promotion contenders, has publicly stated he would welcome his new boss "with open arms" if he wished to play – a shrewd piece of "managing up," given that Spanish law prohibits football club owners from also being players. This legal barrier immediately quashed any initial speculation that Ronaldo might simply be buying himself an extended playing career, perhaps stretching until the 2038 World Cup.

While some cynics suggest Cristiano might primarily serve as the charismatic public face for the club and its Saudi investors, it's argued that his involvement runs deeper. As a billionaire, even with ventures in watches, hotels, and padel courts, it's likely he would find greater fulfillment in applying his vast knowledge and passion to the sport that brought him global fame, immense respect, and the adoration he cherishes.

Ronaldo is certainly not alone in this venture. Sergio Ramos, for instance, is reportedly leading a consortium currently in negotiations to purchase Sevilla. Not yet in Ronaldo's wealth bracket, Ramos's partners would contribute the majority of the reported €400 million, with the 180-cap Spain defender slated to lead the club's football operations. His former teammate and rival, Gerard Pique, began his ownership journey at a lower level, buying regional fifth-tier club Andorra in 2018. Through generous funding, shrewd management, and leveraging his Barcelona connections and Andorra’s favorable tax laws, the club has since ascended to the same division as Almeria.

David Beckham's impressive success with Inter Miami also offers a compelling blueprint. His startup venture swiftly attracted significant sponsorship and a roster of great, albeit slightly faded, players. The club secured trophies and is now valued at over a billion dollars, with Beckham actively leading its football side. This model of an active, well-connected football personality at the helm clearly resonates.

Even currently active players are joining the trend: Kylian Mbappe is the majority shareholder of Championnat National club SM Caen, managed by former France defender Gael Clichy, while N'Golo Kante owns Belgian club Royal Excelsior Virton. Luka Modric holds a stake in Championship club Swansea City, though his role appears less active for now.

The substantial wealth accumulated by modern players creates the prospect of more of them buying the very clubs that once employed them. However, this path hasn't always been straightforward. Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário experienced a rollercoaster seven years as the majority shareholder of Real Valladolid, eventually selling amid fan protests and accusations of losing interest in the project. Yet, it wasn't an unmitigated disaster, and indications suggest he made a profit, mirroring his successful sale of Brazilian club Cruzeiro.

In England, the much-publicized takeover of eighth-tier Salford City by former Manchester United teammates Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Nicky Butt initially made for a fascinating TV documentary. This explored whether these ex-pros could transition into successful owners. However, the project lost some of its allure when they primarily outspent divisional rivals and later partially sold their stake to Valencia's controversial owner, Peter Lim.

The Salford City documentary was later eclipsed by the phenomenal success of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who bought Wrexham, a Welsh club playing in the fifth tier of the English leagues. Their venture has been an unmitigated triumph, leading to an unprecedented three consecutive promotions and a feasible chance of promotion to the Premier League. The genius of their accompanying TV show lies in its recognition that football is more than just a business or a sport; it's an essential part of its local community. This "grassroots" narrative has paradoxically created a global TV phenomenon, turning the club into a runaway marketing success. Of course, having two charismatic Hollywood actors driving publicity certainly helps, and their success provides another clue that Almeria could be on the cusp of prosperous days.

Modern football clubs are subject to financial restraints designed to prevent tech bosses, fossil fuel magnates, or autocratic states from simply outspending rivals and causing rampant inflation. Clubs must now creatively find revenue streams to fund squad spending. Wrexham's showbusiness status means they attract global sponsors to what was once a regional club, enabling them to consistently upgrade their playing staff.

Can we think of a footballer as famous as Reynolds? Beckham, yes. But more famous still... Cristiano Ronaldo. Almeria’s social media following rocketed after Cristiano bought his stake, soaring from 489,000 to 3.2 million on Instagram alone. However, if he remains a distant shareholder, we shouldn't expect much more than a transient boost. An actively involved Cristiano, perhaps starring in a TV show, would undeniably create a celebrity status for Almeria it has never experienced. He would need astute commercial minds around him to fully exploit this potential, but it is more than feasible, as Inter Miami has demonstrated. While we should probably be patient as he shows no signs of quitting his playing career just yet, that day is coming.

So, my answer to the initial question is: yes, I wouldn't mind at all. Real Madrid's most famous and impactful figure ever was the player-turned-manager-turned-stadium namesake, Santiago Bernabéu. La Liga President Javier Tebas once predicted that Pique would be a future president of Barcelona. If these figures can win elections, why can't they channel their knowledge, passion, and financial resources into running commercial clubs? Give me Cristiano, Ramos, or Beckham over a faceless capital investment group. Or, to be more accurate: give me a capital investment group with Cristiano, Ramos, or Beckham at its helm over one without.