“You think money changes my mind?”
In 2015, Ronaldo still scoffed at desert clubs
The fact that Cristiano Ronaldo (37) is moving to Saudi Arabia is incomprehensible to many fans. And the Portuguese himself ruled out the transfer a few years ago. These statements are now flying around his ears.
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In 2015, a move to the desert would have been out of the question for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo has a new club, the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr signs the Portuguese for two and a half years – and a total of around 500 million francs.
In November 2015, however, that was not an option for the 37-year-old. In the “Jonathan Ross Show”, the then 30-year-old was asked about the end of his career and what it might look like. His answer: “In my mind, I want to stop at the top level.”
“I want to resign with dignity”
Then a statement followed, which many people are now peppering around his ears. “I want to end my career with dignity, at a good club. Not in the US, Qatar or Dubai because that’s not good, “he told the talk show host. That would not be an option for him.
He kept his word, Saudi Arabia is not on this list. The football culture in the country on the Arabian Peninsula can definitely be compared to that in Qatar or Dubai.
The night before in Madrid: Ronaldo signs mega contract with Al-Nassr(00:55)
Also in the “BBC” he said that he was “not about the money, but about the passion”. CR7 explicitly excluded some changes and added: “Or do you think money would change my mind?”
And just recently Ronaldo repeated the statement that he wants to finish his career at the highest level in an interview with Piers Morgan. His career should come to an end at the age of 40, he revealed. That would mean Al-Nassr would be the last stop. Is that really the level he kept talking about?
For experts, the GOAT debate is over
In his homeland, the move to the desert is torn apart. The Portuguese football expert Pedro Sepulveda is harsh on “Sky” with Ronaldo in the court: “This is the price that he has forced his departure from Manchester United. That’s the price for being on the bench at the World Cup.”
The problem is obvious: “There were no clubs, no meetings of his agent with other clubs to negotiate. It’s not about the money for these clubs, it’s about the project and they don’t want a player who provokes his departure twice.” Because he didn’t exactly create the best atmosphere in the cabin, the five-time world footballer had “no choice but to accept Al-Nassr’s offer”.
Messi won the World Cup, Ronaldo moves to the desert, for many fans the debate about the best player of all time (GOAT) is over. Sepulveda also sees it this way: “I think this step clouds his story because we have been talking about the best player of all time and now only about the best Portuguese player.” (che)