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Cristiano Ronaldo has once again made headlines, this time off the soccer field. The Portuguese superstar purchased 100% of the Lisbon Racket Centre, investing around €5 million (about $5.4 million) between the acquisition and renovations. The facility, located in Oeiras—a town in the Lisbon district with nearly 100,000 residents—is designed primarily for padel, one of the fastest-growing racket sports worldwide.
According to Ricardo Oliveira, president of the Portuguese Padel Federation (FPP), Ronaldo’s arrival is set to change the sport forever: “Cristiano’s involvement won’t just change padel in Portugal—it will change it globally. He trains every day for soccer, but I’ve been told he plays padel almost daily as well. He truly loves it.”
The star has been spotted sharing padel clips on his social media, exposing the sport to his massive online following—estimated at over one billion people across platforms. For many, his influence represents the single most important boost padel has ever received.
Construction of the state-of-the-art complex began in February 2025, financed by Ronaldo himself. The project includes:
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to pursue his goal of reaching 1,000 goals in his career.
It marks Ronaldo’s first major investment outside of soccer, and it aligns perfectly with padel’s rapid global rise.
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