Record-breaking football player Cristiano Ronaldo is just as popular off the field as he is when he steps onto the pitch. The multiple Ballon d’Or and Champions League winner is known for his investments in clothing ranges, perfume, restaurants, fitness centers, and even a hair clinic, all of which have been quite successful.
Adding to the list of his investments, Ronaldo has just invested $40 million in an upcoming free-to-play football video game. Developers Strikerz Inc. have not announced a release date for the title United Football League (UFL), which was announced back in 2021. UFL did look promising back when it was announced, and Ronaldo’s investment only shows the game can rival EA Sports FC 24.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Investment Will Bolster UFL’s Chances
Strikerz Inc. is based out of Cyprus and has been developing its flagship game, UFL, for almost eight years, since it began in 2016. UFL is being labeled by the developers as a “free-to-play” game with no pay-to-win options, relying only on a skill-first approach.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s investment was completed back in December last year, as announced by the official account on X. UFL has tied up with FIFPro to bring more than 65,000 professional players and also tied up with popular clubs including West Ham United, Celtic, Rangers, Sporting CP, Shakhtar Donetsk, and several others.
The developers released a gameplay trailer in 2022, showcasing popular footballers Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kevin De Bruyne, and Cristiano Ronaldo, among others. After investing in the upcoming football game, Ronaldo revealed being thrilled to be part of the game.
He claimed the UFL had the potential to be the “new breed in football gaming.” Strikerz will hope the investment helps UFL rival the biggest football video game, EA FC Sports, formerly known as FIFA. EA FC Sports remains unrivaled at the moment, as only one other game has ever come close to competing with the game, Konami’s eFootball.
Konami’s eFootball Has Lionel Messi as Cover Star
Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-time rival on the pitch, Lionel Messi, isn’t devoid of an investment in a football video game either. Messi has been the cover star for the eFootball titles for years, but that has done very little to gain popularity globally.
The stark difference between EA FC 24 and Konami’s eFootball lies in the popularity of these two titles. Fans will hope the upcoming game can compete with EA FC 24, a title that has been plagued by glitches and issues despite bringing in record sales every year.
Though Messi has been a cover star several times for eFootball, he has not made such a significant investment as Ronaldo has just made, adding another feather in his favor in comparison to his biggest on-field rival.
Fans will now be waiting to hear about a potential release date for UFL to get their hands on the title and figure out just how better the game is in comparison to EA FC Sports.
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