CORNERFLICK
The retirement of Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal's national team is set to hit the Portuguese Football Federation's income after 23 years, 234 appearances and 146 goals.
Revenue built around Ronaldo
According to Futebol 360, the federation's turnover rose from about €47.5 million in 2011/12 to more than €131 million in 2024/25, with budgets for later years projected as high as €162 million. The report says that rise was closely linked to Ronaldo's worldwide appeal.
IPAM, the Portuguese Institute of Marketing Administration, estimated Ronaldo's personal brand at around €850 million in 2025, up 325% from 2020. Daniel Sa, the institute's chief executive, said Portugal has lost one of the biggest international boosters of its country brand.
Commercial fallout
The report says Ronaldo gave the federation access to hundreds of millions of global followers, and that 29 of his social media posts during the World Cup created an estimated audience value of $107 million. By contrast, the national team's official accounts generated about $88 million from 565 posts.
Some estimates put around 35% of federation income directly or indirectly in Ronaldo's orbit. Merchandise sales, especially shirt number 7, along with sponsorship, broadcast rights and the appeal of friendly matches, are expected to suffer most.
Existing contracts are usually tied to the federation rather than to the player himself, so wholesale cancellations look unlikely. Renewal talks and contract reviews may come at lower values, leaving Portugal to build a more independent commercial identity without its biggest star.