It’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s birthday today but the Portuguese superstar is far from happy, if reports are to be believed.
Ronaldo’s refusal to play for Al-Nassr comes amid the 41-year-old’s unhappiness with how the Saudi Pro League’s money-men have financially backed his club over rivals. Karim Benzema’s move to title rivals Al-Hilal has angered Ronaldo, who is demanding change – or an exit.
Could Ronaldo really leave Saudi Arabia? If so, where could he end up?
Cristiano Ronaldo Next Club Odds
Real Madrid – 16/1
In as fifth favourites with the bookies are Real Madrid, the club where Ronaldo broke records during the best years of his career.
Ronaldo scored a frankly outlandish 450 goals in 434 games during his first stint in Spain, setting a new benchmark as Los Blancos’ leading scorer. The prospect of Kylian Mbappe dovetailing with his idol is intriguing, but that ship has surely sailed.
Sporting Lisbon – 5/1
The romantic option and perhaps the perfect bookend to Ronaldo’s career. Having risen through the ranks at Sporting, Ronaldo departed as a teenager having made just 31 appearances in Portuguese football. Five Ballon d’Ors and a bucket-load of other honours later, could he return to the Primeira Liga for a Sporting swansong?
Retire – 3/1
Ronaldo has made it pretty clear that he has no plans to retire until he passes the mythical mark of 1000 career goals. There have been others to have passed 1000 goals, but none with such verification (Sorry, Pele).
“My passion is high and I want to continue. It doesn’t matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I always enjoy playing football and I want to keep going,” he said at
the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai in December.
“You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number [1,000 goals] that you all know. I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries.”
Ronaldo has 961 goals and counting. If he were to score 39 more for Al-Nassr and Portugal by the end of this summer’s World Cup, could that be the opportune moment to say goodbye?
Any Saudi Pro League team – 7/4
If you can’t beat them, join them. Saudi Pro League sides are no stranger to trading, as the nation’s Public Investment Fund backs the division’s big boys. A reunion with Karim Benzema at league leaders Al-Hilal would be fascinating, while the latter’s exit at Al-Ittihad leaves a big void there.
Any MLS team – 6/4
Ronaldo and Messi, reunited in rivalry, stateside?
If there’s anything that may truly take ‘soccer’ in the USA up another notch, it’s two of the greatest talents of all time strutting their stuff in the MLS. Sure, both are past their absolute best, but when has that really mattered in a nation where glitz and glamour is valued just as highly as goals?
Read –Â Five of Cristiano Ronaldo’s greatest goals
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