You usually don’t have to wait too long before there’s a story about Cristiano Ronaldo. Normally, he hits the headlines because of a spectacular goal. After all, that’s the type of story we’ve been used to reading about the Portuguese star for nearly twenty years.
But in recent days, Ronaldo has been in the news for the wrong reasons. For a player who typically has such a robust will to win, the recent interview he gave to British talk show host Piers Morgan may yet prove to be a rare defeat for one of the greatest players of all time.
The Fallout of a Controversial Interview
It’s clear that not all has been well between Ronaldo and Manchester United for some time. There have been a few huffs and puffs on the part of Cristiano throughout the season, most notably when he left the stadium before the end of the game, having not been chosen to come on as a substitute.
But his recent unsanctioned interview took the fallout to new proportions. During the interview, Ronaldo publicly stated that he did not respect the club’s manager or owners and that he felt let down by his employers.
The interview essentially marked the end of the player’s Manchester United career. Before giving the interview, Ronaldo must have known that the fallout would be significant, but it is unclear whether he knew just how significant it would be. It’s extremely unlikely that we’ll ever see Ronaldo wearing Manchester United’s famous red jersey ever again.
Finding a New Club
Part of Ronaldo’s anger stems from his belief that he still has a lot to offer at the highest level. And if you take a look at his goal record during this season and the last, it would be hard to disagree with him.
The problem for Ronaldo is that there may not be a club he can join. He’s on a reported £500,000 a week at Old Trafford. There is probably no team in the world that is willing to pay him that much.
But let’s assume that Ronaldo is willing to take a pay cut in order to sign for a new team. Where would he go? Some major Italian clubs have been mentioned, but there will be some people who think it’s worthwhile using a free bet offer to back Manchester City to sign the forward. While unlikely, it’s not as unthinkable as one might expect. After all, Ronaldo was on the cusp of signing for Pep Guardiola last season. Plus, you have to imagine that both City and Ronaldo would love to get one over on their fierce rivals by having CR7 wear the royal blue jersey. Stranger things have happened.
One Final Shot at Glory
It should be clear that Ronaldo has no role to play at Old Trafford. His style of play is out of sync with what the club is trying to achieve. But if there’s one thing that every football fan should know, it’s that it would be foolish to write off Ronaldo because of his current situation.
You don’t become one of the all-time great footballers by accident. You do so by delivering on the big stage time and time again. And that’s just what Ronaldo has done. Tom Brady won the Superbowl at 43. Who’s to say that Cristian Ronaldo can’t do something magical? He’s only 37, after all.
Ronaldo’s Manchester United Legacy
No matter what happens, it’s hard not to feel a little sad about how all of the drama unfolded. Ronaldo is an Old Trafford legend. Yes, him coming back to Manchester United for a second spell was probably doomed from the beginning. But no one could have predicted just how poorly it would end. There will hopefully be a time in the future when Ronaldo is all smiles at the club again, but for now, that seems like it’s a far way off. Still, 145 goals in 344 appearances counts for a lot.
