Cristiano Ronaldo pictured playing new sport with dramatic career change on horizon

Cristiano Ronaldo is setting his sights on taking the fast-paced world of padel to new heights globally. Recently, he was seen diving into the action, enjoying the sport alongside his longtime friend Miguel Paixao, sparking excitement about his commitment to expanding padel’s reach worldwide

Cristiano Ronaldo centre-forward of Portugal and Al-Nassr FC during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Georgia and Portugal at Arena AufSchalke on June 26, 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.Ronaldo has dipped his toes into a new sport this summer (Image: Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo has been spotted indulging in a new sporting venture outside of football – the world of padel.

The Portuguese star has been enjoying a few games with longtime friend Miguel Paixão, someone he’s known since his Sporting days.

In addition to being a fan of the sport, Ronaldo is planning to help with an ambitious project in his home country by investing in padel and becoming an entrepreneur of the sport as a whole.

DirectTVSport reports that the 39-year-old is aiming to contribute to the growth of padel in Portugal and solidify his position as a key figure in both the sport and the business.

Padel, which is sometimes referred to as padel tennis, is a racket sport that originates from Mexico and requires two paddles and a tennis ball. It shares the same scoring system as tennis but the technique of the sport is different, as well as the court size and distance to the net.

The project, titled Padel City, has been approved by Oeiras City Council and was developed by the Portuguese Padel Federation in partnership with Smooth Odissey – company owned by Ronaldo and businessman Filipe de Botton.

Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo hits a padel ball during an event to support youth scholarships founded by philanthropist Peter Lim in Singapore on June 3, 2023.The Portuguese is branching out from football into a new sport ( Image:AFP via Getty Images)Currently, the project is in its specialised licensing stage but it is expected that work will soon get underway in building the padel courts, as per Record. The area of Vale do Jamor in Portugal will receive 17 padel courts – 15 of these courts will be under cover to allow playing throughout the year.

A centre court is also in the plans that will have the capacity to set up stands for more than 2,000 spectators. Other spaces such as a restaurant, a gym and a physiotherapy room will also be available, in a 15,000 square metre complex.

Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo reacts as he hits a padel ball during an event to support youth scholarships founded by philanthropist Peter Lim in Singapore on June 3, 2023.Ronaldo has taken up the sport of padel – and will be injecting money into the industry too ( Image:AFP via Getty Images)The space will also house the new headquarters of the Portuguese Padel Federation. Ronaldo is undertaking this project alongside his various other business ventures outside of football – some of which include a hotel brand called Pestana Hotels, a clothing and underwear line, as well as fitness centres in Saudi Arabia and real estate.

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