Cristiano Ronaldo takes on EA Sports FC - and Lionel Messi! Superstar invests in new $40m free-to-play football game UFL as he goes head-to-head with old rival and the face of eFootball

It has been announced that five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has become an investor in UFL – the free-to-play football video game that claims to be focused on “fair, skill-first approach for gamers, created by gamers”. CR7 forms part of a team of investors that are pumping more than $40 million (£32m) into the development of the new game.

Ronaldo, whose mass appeal has seen him accrue the largest Instagram following on the planet, will be involved in the development of UFL as producers Strikerz Inc. seek to “set a new standard for immersive football gaming”.

Portugal international Ronaldo has said of his new partnership: “I’m thrilled to be a part of this project as UFL can become the new breed in football gaming.”

Eugene Nashilov, CEO of Strikerz Inc., added: “Having Cristiano Ronaldo join us as a partner and investor is a significant step forward and an endorsement of our vision to create the leading game for football fans in the world. 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.”

UFL intends to deliver “exceptional gameplay that rewards tactical knowledge and gaming ability, enabling players to build their club from the ground up and rise to be champions”. The game will be available for free, with no mandatory payments or subscription fees. No official release date has been revealed as yet, with closed testing underway, but UFL will launch on PlayStation and Xbox consoles at some point in the near future – meaning that Ronaldo will have a product going up against EA FC and the eFootball franchise that eternal rival Messi is an ambassador for.