Who is Ricardo Regufe - the man who negotiated Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-breaking deal with Al-Nassr?

The Portuguese superstar recently joined the Saudi side on a record contract

Every footballer needs an agent in his life as they are the pathway to their dreams. No matter how big or small of a star you are you'll need to have a football agent to achieve your desired club as they have the contacts and sources to make your dream come true. However, they don't get the recognition a football star gets when they sign for a club but it is the long process of hard work that an agent puts in to make it happen.

Today we are going to talk about one of the best agents in football history. Cristiano Ronaldo's move from Manchester United to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia as a free agent was orchestrated by Portuguese sports agent Ricardo Regufe. Since, December 2022, Ronaldo's $214 million contract became him the world's highest-paid soccer player.

For nearly 20 years, Regufe has helped teams and players sign big-money deals and create the professional football market. Regufe began his soccer career as a player, representing clubs in Portugal's lower leagues. However, He switched to sports management after retiring from the field and he became a powerful sports agent. He is well-known for his ability to detect talent early on and for his creative approach to deal-making.

Ricardo Regufe and Cristiano Ronaldo's relationship

Nike's 21-year-old Regufe organised Portugal's photo shoots in the 2000s. He quickly earned Ronaldo's esteem and began accompanying him to commercial appearances. Ronaldo joined Regufe's Nike sponsorship as their connection developed. Regufe has grown in importance in Cristiano Ronaldo's career throughout the years. He was appointed as the great striker's personal manager in 2018. However, Regufe has always focused on Ronaldo's economic concerns, but he has recently become interested in sporting matters as well.

Regufe's Ronaldo-Al Nassr trade was the first time a player of Ronaldo's calibre had joined a Middle Eastern team. Regufe's ability to organise such a high-profile trade was a testament to his agent skills and the region's rising significance in the global football market.

In addition to being an agent, Regufe is a philanthropist. He supports sport's potential to unite and improve communities and serves on the boards of various organisations and non-profits.

To summarise, Ricardo Regufe is among the most powerful figures in football. He is a talented and smart sports agent who has helped shape the modern professional football scene. Regufe has had a great impact on the sport and continues to be a major player in the industry due to his ability to negotiate large-money deals and his charity activities.