Following his turbulent departure from Manchester United in November, Ronaldo announced on Friday that he had signed a remarkable £175 million-per-year contract with the Saudi Arabian team.
Following his contentious and damaging interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo, 37, left Manchester United and became a free agent. His followers are now claiming on social media that he is "so done" and has moved to the Middle East.
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher voiced their "sadness" at the transfer, and Ferdinand responded, claiming that it signalled the end of Ronaldo's time competing at the highest level.
Ferdinand claimed ‘no man on the planet’ had earned the right to the move more than the Portuguese star.
“It was great to see David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, it was great to see them go to America,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with FIVE podcasts. “What a way to finish their careers, getting great money, going to a league that’s not as competitive, they’ve deserved that, they’ve earned the right.
“That’s all I saw in the media. But because it’s Saudi Arabia, it’s a disgrace, and it's sad. Let a man go and live, let a man go and enjoy it. It’s a new adventure he’s taking his family to experience a new culture.
“Every single country in the world has its issues, so America has got fewer issues than Saudi, have they? But it’s fine for all these players to go to America. Let’s let them go to the States and have a swansong year and just toss it off.
“I don’t like it. It stinks we’re not hearing this type of talk. It’s out of order.
“Everyone should be treated the same. Every other player that’s gone to a less competitive league to end his or her career has been told you’ve earned the right. No man on the planet would have earned the right more than this guy, (Ronaldo).”
Reports in Saudi Arabia have stated that Ronaldo has signed a two-year deal.
The £175m-a-year contract sees him become the highest-paid player in world football, with his contract set to run until June 2025, when he will be 39.
The Saudi Pro League club announced his arrival in a tweet saying: “The world’s greatest athlete officially signed for Al-Nassr”, with Ronaldo also taking up an ambassadorial role.
Part of his role as an ambassador will be to help Saudi Arabia’s joint bid with Egypt and Greece to host the 2030 World Cup, it has been claimed.
He joins archrival Lionel Messi in taking up a promotional position with the gulf nation, which has faced criticism for its human rights record, as well as crackdowns on women’s rights activists, LGBTQ+ people and those who speak out against the rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Ronaldo’s move has also faced social media criticism after footage resurfaced of the star claiming he wants to ‘finish at the top level’, where he listed the ‘USA, Qatar or Dubai’ as places he couldn’t envision playing at later in his career.
Al-Nassr are one of the most successful clubs in Saudi Arabia, having been crowned winners of the country’s top flight nine times, with their most recent triumph coming in 2019.
Ronaldo had previously been linked with the likes of Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Napoli after stunning United officials by telling the club he wanted out in the summer transfer window.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had reportedly expressed hope Real Madrid would want to sign him for a second time.
Ronaldo is a Bernabeu legend, having scored 450 goals in 438 matches for Real over nine seasons to help them to four Champions League triumphs.