At 37 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is still pushing his career forward, signing for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr in December for an incredible sum of money.
Many people believe that Ronaldo's career will come to a close in Saudi Arabia, as he stretches towards 40 years old. The Portuguese superstar signed for the club on a two-year contract, which seems to be how his career will finish.
Yet some aren't quite convinced, including his new coach Rudi Garcia. The Al Nassr boss said that Ronaldo would likely return to Europe after his Al Nassr contract is up, still having something to prove at that level.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is a positive addition, as he helps to disperse defenders," Rudi Garcia said in late January. "He is one of the best players in the world. He will not finish his career at Al Nassr, he will return to Europe."
Two years is a very long time and a lot can happen between now and then, but should Ronaldo wish to head back to a European club, where could he go? In truth, it's hard to imagine this coming to pass, as his wage demands shrink the pool of teams and his abilities on the field are dwindling. Very few European clubs even showed interest before he left for Saudi Arabia, so it's hard to imagine many being intrigued in Ronaldo two years older.
Still, if he should wish to return to Europe, here are the potential landing spots.
MORE: Al Nassr players: Full squad breakdown, roster, shirt numbers for Cristiano Ronaldo's new club
Cristiano Ronaldo to Sporting CP?
There has been speculation his entire career that Cristiano Ronaldo would want to finish his playing days at his boyhood club Sporting CP.
Ronaldo came through the Sporting youth system and played a year for the club's senior side before moving to Manchester United in 2003 as an 18-year-old. His mother openly supports Sporting and he has a clear connection to the club.
There were consistent links between Ronaldo and Sporting before he signed for Al Nassr, but his dressing room presence and wage demands were too much for the club at the time, and head coach Ruben Amorim was openly against making the move.
That dynamic could cause issues if Amorim is still in charge when Ronaldo's Al Nassr contract is up, but if there is a new man in the hot seat, there could be a fit here, even for a short time as Ronaldo sees out his career where it all began.
First game, first win - well done guys 🙌🏻 Thanks to all the fans for incredible support. 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/vmgwE8TgVo
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) January 22, 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo to Marseille?
French club Olympique de Marseille could be a perfect landing spot for Cristiano Ronaldo if he wants to return to Europe once his playing time in Saudi Arabia concludes.
There were links to the club before he signed with Al Nassr, as Marseille ambassador Basile Boli claimed they held talks over a potential match, but ultimately the club decided against a move. Marseille CEO Pablo Longoria also seemed to hint that the club considered the prospect of signing Ronaldo this fall.
While a move never materialised, it's possible that there could be a match in the future. Marseille have never been against signing controversial dressing room presences, as their willingness to welcome Dimitri Payet back despite rumours of turmoil in the West Ham dressing room proves. They've taken on other flashy players in the past such as Dario Benedetto and Alexis Sanchez, although Ronaldo would admittedly be on another level in that regard.
MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo goal scoring record
Cristiano Ronaldo to Atletico Madrid?
This past summer there were heavy links of a move for Cristiano Ronaldo to Spanish side Atletico Madrid.
Everyone hated it. The fans hated it, protesting largely due to Ronaldo's previous time with arch rivals Real Madrid. The club president hated it, saying flat out, “I don’t know who invented this story about Cristiano, but it is practically impossible that he comes here." Atleti boss Diego Simeone hated it, saying there are lines you don't cross in rivalries of this nature.
Well...almost everyone hated it. Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes tried extremely hard to make this happen, hinting through a report that Ronaldo would be willing to bend to Atletico's economic demands to facilitate a deal.
Ultimately, it's tough to see this one coming to pass unless Simeone moves on. His style just does not fit Ronaldo in the slightest, and it's unlikely that Joao Felix, another Portuguese international who was swallowed up in that system, would have nice things to say to Ronaldo about his time there.
Cristiano Ronaldo to MLS?
If indeed there is no European club interested in Ronaldo once his Al Nassr contract runs out, he could look to find another big payday. He could decide to stay in Saudi Arabia longer than anticipated, but if he decides to depart the Middle Eastern nation, where else could he finish his career?
There were heavy links to Major League Soccer before he signed for Al Nassr, and a move to the United States would surely be enticing, especially at the money MLS could offer.
As the league is single-entity, it's hard to know exactly which club he could end up at, but there were reports of significant talks between Ronaldo and Sporting Kansas City before he signed with Al Nassr, and that relationship could bear fruit in two years' time. The LA Galaxy will surely be considered as well given their history of signing big-name stars such as David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, while Beckham's own club Inter Miami could also dream of pairing Ronaldo with Lionel Messi on the field together given the heavy links between the Floridian side and Messi's future.
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