Things might have gone sour between Nike and Cristiano Ronaldo this summer. On July 18th, despite having a lifetime deal with Nike, fans saw Ronaldo sporting Adidas Adidas X Pro shin pads during Al-Nassr’s first pre-season match with Celta Vigo as opposed to CR7’s regular habit of carrying customized Nike shin pads. What was then framed as a “risking a breach of contract” has finally transpired into an impressive 3-year deal between Al Nassr and Adidas, starting from the 2024-25 season.     

Just seven months into Ronaldo’s induction to the Riyadh-based club, Al Nassr announced on July 2nd that Nike to be their new kit manufacturer, moving away from their in-house brand, Arabic giants Duneus. Moving from local brands to American giants has since been an in-vogue trait for the Saudi pro league. After all, Al Nassr’s partnership with Nike was shortly preceded by Al Hilal’s signing a 5-year Puma deal after ditching Mouj.

While the current move to Adidas comes as a big surprise despite skipper Ronaldo‘s existing $1 billion deal with their major rival brand, Nike, what ticked off Al Nassr was Nike’s inability to offer more selling outlets for merchandise (shirts and accessories) to fans worldwide. Journalist Ali Alabdallh wrote on X (Twitter), “The sponsorship contract will be for 3 years with Al Nassr from 2024 to 2027. God willing..” (Translated via Google)

The brand has prominent teams amongst their ranks, like Inter Miami, Real Madrid, and Manchester United. They have been expanding at a breakneck pace, and it will be interesting to see how the partnership pans out.

READ MORE: “They Fused Him With Neymar”- Cristiano Ronaldo’s Statue In His Saudi Arabia Museum Draws Negative Feedback Online

The Portuguese is one of the few players who signed a lifetime contract with Nike, similar to basketball legend Michael Jordan. However, media outlets reported a potential rift between the player and the brand. How true is that?

Is Nike upset with Cristiano Ronaldo?

Sportswear brand Nike is reportedly unhappy with the Al Nassr captain following his actions during the team’s pre-season camp earlier this year as he donned the Adidas shin pads. The Portuguese’s deal with Nike prevents him from wearing any product in public made by a different sporting brand.

Ronaldo is usually known for wearing custom Nike shin pads with his face on them. The player reportedly conversed with Nike representatives, clarifying his use of a rival’s products following his actions. They stated that the brand was unhappy with the player as they expected more from him, considering their long partnership.

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What do you think of the drama between Cristiano and Nike? Do you think the brand overreacted in the situation? Let us know in the comments below.

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