"Playing for free" - Cristiano Ronaldo's former teammate David de Gea aims dig at Portugal star as he signs new Al-Nassr deal

David de Gea has taken a cheeky dig at Cristiano Ronaldo after the latter's contract renewal at Al Nassr. The Spaniard joked that the Portuguese superstar was "playing for free" in a reply to his social media post.

Ronaldo took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce his decision to extend his stay at Al Nassr. He called it the start of a new chapter in his career with the "same passion" and "same dream."

De Gea was quick to reply and hinted that the move was not motivated by money.

Ronaldo was the highest-paid player in the Saudi Pro League, earning over $4 million in weekly wages in his previous contract, according to GOAL. His new deal is expected to see an improvement in terms.

The Al Nassr star was reportedly earning a whopping $210 million per season, more than double of what the second-highest-paid player in the Saudi Pro League, Karim Benzema, was earning.

Cristiano Ronaldo's wages are over 10 times what Lionel Messi takes home at Inter Miami. The MLS Players Association released the data earlier this week, and the Argentine was the highest-paid player with just over $20 million per season.

David de Gea on playing Al Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo

David de Gea spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo's mentality, saying that the former Manchester United star was always focused during training sessions and in games. The Spaniard added that the Portuguese superstar's mentality was the main reason why he was one of the best players in history.

He told Manchester United's media team in 2022:

"He's great. The way he works speaks for himself. The way he treats himself, his body. He is focused in every training session and every game. This is why he is one of the best in history. He's mentally very strong and that's an example for everyone [to follow]."

Speaking about the former Manchester United forward after he scored his 700th goal, De Gea lauded him for his commitment despite being benched by Erik Ten Hag. He told TNT Sports:

"He's never been in this situation before, but the way he trains every day 100 per cent, and the way he takes care of his mind and body is unbelievable. It's something else. This is why he scored the winner today, he does a lot for the team. It's not an easy time for him, but he showed he's a great player."

Cristiano Ronaldo and David de Gea have played 53 matches together at Manchester United. The goalkeeper was linked with a move to Al Nassr by TBR Football, but it did not materialize.

Edited by Sankalp Srivastava