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Cristiano Ronaldo has given his support to UFL, investing over £30 million in the game, which hopes to rival EA Sports' dominance in football games.
According to the Mirror, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar is set to be the face of the console game, which is scheduled to launch in 2024. UFL, which has been developed by Strikerz Inc., will be a free-to-access game on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC.
This new project will look to provide competition to EA FC, which was called the FIFA series until the its relationship with the federation ended this year. Addressing his latest venture, Ronaldo said in a press release (via Mirror):
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"I’m thrilled to be a part of this project as UFL can become the new breed in football gaming."
Strikerz Inc. CEO Eugene Nashilov, who was delighted to have the Portuguese icon onboard, said:
"Having Cristiano Ronaldo join us as a partner and investor is a significant step forward and an endorsement of our vision to create the world’s leading game for fans."
He added:
"UFL is committed to innovation, technology and entertainment and we see significant potential to do things differently in the gaming industry.
"This is an ambition shared by Cristiano and we are excited to be working together, while continuing to engage with future investors, to create a game that fills a gap in the football gaming market by unifying a rich gaming experience with continuous progress and a fair approach.”
Ronaldo's participation in the UFL project will help the game mount a serious challenge to EA Sports. The Al-Nassr striker boasts over 600 million followers on Instagram, making him the most followed athlete on the social media platform (via Spiel Times).
When will Cristiano Ronaldo play next?
Cristiano Ronaldo decided to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in December 2022 after having his contract at Manchester United mutually terminated. Since moving to the Asian country, the ex-Juventus star has scored 34 goals and assisted 12 across competitions.
Ronaldo got on the scoresheet in his side's latest 5-2 King Cup of Champions quarter-final win against Al-Shabab on Monday (December 11). He will likely feature in the Riyadh-based club's next match against Al-Ettifaq on December 22.
The 38-year-old attacker has been in fine form this season, having scored 20 goals and assisted 10 in 22 appearances across competitions. Al-Nassr will be gunning for the league title this year and are currently second in the table, seven points behind leaders Al-Hilal.
