Cristiano Ronaldo and Binance have unveiled their latest NFT collaboration, titled “Forever Worldwide: The Road to Saudi Arabia,” which celebrates Ronaldo’s journey from his humble beginnings to global football stardom.
The NFT collection highlights pivotal locations in Ronaldo's career, including Madeira, Lisbon, Manchester, Madrid, Turin, Saudi Arabia and Portugal. Artists with personal connections to these locations were selected to design each NFT, adding an emotional touch to the collection.
“I am excited that this new NFT collection with Binance offers fans a part of my journey throughout my football story,” Ronaldo said. “Every setting in 'Forever Worldwide: The Road to Saudi Arabia' means a lot to me personally, and I can't wait for fans to see the big moments of my career through this special collection of art.”
Sarah Dale, Head of Brand Partnerships at Binance, added: “Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredible journey from humble beginnings to football legend has inspired fans all over the world. This NFT collection encapsulates his journey and offers the best rewards ever for sports fans while providing a platform for talented artists.”
The collection will be released in two batches over the upcoming football season and will culminate in an auction in June for a limited collection of ultra-rare (SSR) NFTs.
Specifically, the first drop starts today and includes the popular locations of Madeira, Lisbon and Manchester. In addition, the second edition will be launched on June 6, featuring Madrid, Turin and Saudi Arabia. The Spanish artist Lisette Lidon, the Italian artist Pasquale Garibaldi, and the Saudi artist Shaker Kashgari designed NFT symbols celebrating Ronaldo’s success on these sites.
In June, a limited edition set of 7 ultra-rare NFTs designed by local artist Mr. Dio will be auctioned off.
The NFTs are priced at $35 each, with the group offering a “collect for profit” mechanism that rewards collectors with their first purchase. Rewards include vintage jerseys, football tickets, signed posters and opportunities to ask Ronaldo questions in a personalized video.
The first installment of the “Forever Worldwide: The Road to Saudi Arabia” NFT collection will be available exclusively on the Binance NFT Marketplace starting May 29, 2024.
However, Ronaldo's involvement with Binance has not been without controversy. The soccer star is currently facing a class-action lawsuit in a US District Court in Florida related to his past involvement in NFT sales with Binance.
The plaintiffs allege that Ronaldo's endorsement prompted them to make investments that resulted in significant losses. They are demanding compensation exceeding one billion dollars.
In November 2022, Binance launched the first “CR7” set of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in collaboration with Ronaldo. Ronaldo's "CR7" branding, synonymous with his initials and shirt number, includes various products, including an NFT collection.
In promoting NFTs, Ronaldo stated that the goal is to elevate the NFT game and take football to the next level. However, the value of NFTs has dropped dramatically within a year, with the cheapest of the lot falling from an initial price of $77 to around $1.
