'Cristiano Ronaldo could buy Wrexham': Ex-Premier League hero makes bold claim about Portuguese star

LISBON, PORTUGAL - MARCH 23: Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal looks on during warm up prior to the UEFA Nations League Quarterfinal Leg Two match between Portugal and Denmark at Estadio Jose Alvalade on March 23, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Diogo Cardoso/Getty Images)
Ronaldo has been tipped for a Wrexham takeover (Image credit: Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo is nearing the end of his playing career, and one former Premier League star believes that he could move into club ownership in an unexpected way.

Despite his best attempts to stay young and prove to everyone why he is the best footballer to have ever lived, Cristiano Ronaldo is now 40 and will have to give up the ghost soon enough. He'll certainly try his best to get in the Portugal squad for the 2026 World Cup, though.

Away from football, Ronaldo is a smart businessman, owning a chain of gyms, multiple hotels, restaurants and even a clothing brand. That portfolio could grow once he hangs his boots up, with a potential ownership of Wrexham now touted.

Cristiano Ronaldo tipped to take over at Wrexham

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal poses for a portrait during the Portugal Portrait session ahead of the UEFA EURO 2024 Germany on June 09, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal

Ronaldo is still targeting the 2026 World Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)

That's according to former Premier League and Ireland midfielder Andy Townsend, who believes that a return to English football in an ownership capacity is certainly possible.

"Cristiano Ronaldo could probably buy Wrexham and have Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as his drivers, if he wanted to," Townsend told BoyleSports, who offer the latest Champions League odds. "But what an incredible story.

Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, Owners of Wrexham celebrate with the Vanarama National League trophy as Wrexham win the Vanarama National League and are promoted to the English Football League after victory in the Vanarama National League match between Wrexham and Boreham Wood at Racecourse Ground on April 22, 2023 in Wrexham, Wales.

Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, owners of Wrexham (Image credit: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

"They've given so much hope to people coming into football that potentially could buy clubs and could get involved in our game to show you what can happen.

"I would not be surprised to see Cristiano Ronaldo buy a club when he finishes playing. We have seen him invest in hotels and other things and he has plenty of interest in business.

"I could see him buying a football club, maybe in the Football League, because he loves the game and I think he’d back himself to run a club, I could really see that."

Coming into Wrexham might prove difficult for Ronaldo what with Reynolds' and McElhenney's ownership, and now the Welsh side look like achieving a third promotion in as many years to the Championship.

Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo is still going in Saudi Arabia (Image credit: Getty Images)

Celebrity ownership certainly isn't out of place in the EFL, however, with A$AP Rocky reportedly part of a consortium to acquire an 80 per cent stake in Tranmere Rovers, NFL legend Tom Brady having a stake at Birmingham and NFL star JJ Watt a minority investor in Burnley.

In FourFourTwo's view, it seems highly unlikely that Ronaldo would invest in Wrexham, but another EFL club could suit in some capacity in the future.

Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.