Cristiano Ronaldo to open private club in Madrid where mobile phones are prohibited and memberships cost up to €15,000

Ronaldo will go down as one of the greatest footballers of all time. What he has achieved at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and more, has helped him put together one of the most glittering careers in the sport's history. Even though he is now in his 40s, he is still prolific for Portugal and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. But even the veteran striker knows that this will all have to come to an end eventually. Although he has a contract with Al-Nassr until the end of the 2026-27 season, the day when he hangs up his boots for good is fast approaching. 

When asked about retirement, he said in an interview with Piers Morgan earlier this month, "Soon. I think I will be prepared. It will be tough, of course. Will be difficult, yes. Probably I will cry, yes… It will be very, very difficult but I've prepared my future since [I was] 25, 26, 27 years old. So I think I will be capable to support that pressure."

Incidentally, some of his business enterprises include CR7 Clothing, CR7 Fitness, his own YouTube channel, and more.

According to Spanish publication Libertad Digital, entrepreneur Inigo Onieva and Mabel Hospitality, the firm of Ronaldo and businessman Manuel Campos Guallar, have launched Vega Private Members Club. The report says it will 'redefine' how socialising and business is done in Madrid, with the opening scheduled before the end of the year at 88 Lagasca Street in the heart of the Golden Mile. The 1,000-square metre space will prohibit the use of mobile phones and photos and will be used for meetings, private offices, co-working and a podcast studio during the day. At night, the space will transform into a social meeting point with exclusive dinners and specialised bars. The 'club' will have three spaces to cover different times of the day: Casa Vega (contemporary bistro), Vega Restaurant, and Toto (Italian restaurant). There will also be a wine club that offers private cava and wine experiences. However, it will not be cheap. The most coveted membership, the founders' membership, can only be obtained by invitation and requires a one-time payment of €15,000. With it comes lifetime access, priority bookings and tailor-made experiences. Cheaper deals can be found from €2,400 per year plus an initial fee of €2,000. 

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In the same interview with Morgan, Ronaldo said retiring from football will finally give him the time to pursue other things. But he admitted that the thrill of winning a game or scoring a goal will never be topped.

"Nothing will compare to the adrenaline we have for football to score a goal. But I have other passions. [When I retire] I'm going to have more time for me, have more time for my family, to raise my kids. I want to be more a family person, more present," he said. "Also, to have my own hobbies. I like to see UFC, the fights. I like padel. I like and I want to learn more about my companies. I'll never be a [full-time] YouTuber, of course, but I want to be there. I'm going to spend more time on that to learn. I think I'm going to do funny things and things I'm not used to doing before. Because I live football 24 hours [each day] to do the right things and perform."

Before Ronaldo has one more crack at securing Portugal's first-ever World Cup triumph in 2026, he will be focused on firing Al-Nassr to silverware success after a trophyless spell at the club so far. They are on track to end that run, however, as they are top of the Saudi Pro League.