Portugal minister says Cristiano Ronaldo is worth more than football

Portugal’s economy minister, Manuel Castro Almeida, has described Cristiano Ronaldo as a major asset to the country’s international reputation, saying his importance extends well beyond football.

Castro Almeida said many people around the world know Portugal only because of the Al-Nassr forward, whose unexpected departure from the national team camp continues to dominate headlines.

In comments reported by Portuguese website The Resident, citing Now, the minister said Ronaldo had a “huge impact in strengthening and highlighting Portugal’s image”.

He went further, calling the Portugal captain the country’s “most famous company”.

“Many people do not know Portugal except because of Cristiano Ronaldo,” Castro Almeida said.

The minister stressed that he was “not an expert” on the football dispute involving Ronaldo and Portugal manager Jorge Jesus, and did not attempt to decide who was right in the disagreement.

Instead, he focused on the wider value of Ronaldo’s global recognition and the effect it has on Portugal’s standing internationally.

Castro Almeida said that profile made Ronaldo a valuable national asset and expressed hope that the country could continue to benefit from it.

“It would be good if Portugal could continue to rely on this asset,” he said.

“From the perspective of strengthening Portugal’s image and reputation, Cristiano has enormous value. It would be very good for Portugal to continue making use of this potential.”

The minister’s comments come as Portugal prepare to face Norway on Sunday evening in the fourth round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.

By then, Ronaldo’s plane is expected to have arrived in Riyadh from Madrid after the forward decided to return to his club, Al-Nassr.

The move has kept attention on the circumstances surrounding his departure from the national team camp, while Castro Almeida has chosen to underline the broader importance of the player to Portugal’s international image rather than comment on the dispute itself.