Could the Manchester United star end up in MLS? GOAL takes a look
It's a rumor, or pipe dream, that has gone on for years: the thought of Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the biggest star in soccer's history, finishing his career in Major League Soccer.
Ronaldo, and his longtime competitor Lionel Messi, have long been linked with a move to the U.S. For them, it would present one last stop of their career, and a chance to make boatloads of money while simultaneously raising their profile in the United States. It would also present them with the chance to join a list of trailblazers that include names like Pele and David Beckham.
But, at least thus far, Ronaldo has always been resistant. The Portuguese star has always stated his intentions of playing at the highest level, namely Europe, for as long as he possibly can. Ronaldo is obsessed with furthering his on-field legacy, and the best way for him to do that would be to continue to pour in goals while lifting more trophies.
However, as we head towards the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo's world is changing drastically. He's suddenly something of an afterthought at Erik ten Hag's Manchester United, despite scoring 24 goals in all competitions last season. He appears to be on his way out of Old Trafford, with his highly-publicized homecoming looking set to end with a whimper.
Should he leave, he'll have no shortage of suitors, one of which will be MLS, and it is more than likely that he continues on in European soccer. But is it possible he comes to MLS and, if it is, which clubs could he end up at?
GOAL takes a look at what a potential union between Ronaldo and MLS could look like:
GettyInter Miami
The club most often linked with Ronaldo is, realistically, the one in the best position to pull it off.
The allure of South Beach, working with David Beckham, and the chance to be a defining figure for a new club – all are possible motivators for Ronaldo.
But the biggest factor in this move is that Miami can actually afford it.
The club will have up to three Designated Player spots this winter, with Gonzalo Higuain set to retire, Rodolfo Pizarro on his way out and Alejandro Pozuelo out of contract. That's a lot of room to not just sign Ronaldo, but build around him with players that want to play with him and, perhaps most importantly, players he'd want to play with.
It's a match that is seemingly made in heaven. In Miami, Ronaldo gets a great place to call home and a club that he can help truly elevate to one of MLS' elite. And, in Ronaldo, Miami get that big splash they so desperately crave not just in MLS, but on the world stage.
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From Beckham's current club to his former club.
If there's a team that knows how to sign a star, it's the Galaxy. Beckham, Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez… the list goes on and on.
Hollywood could certainly tempt Ronaldo, who has always been a larger-than-life figure. In Los Angeles, he could live among the biggest stars in the world, do the talk show appearances, make the movie cameos.
But, for the stars that have played for the Galaxy, one of the biggest draws has always been the normalcy of it all, not the glitz and glamor.
In Los Angeles, everyone is someone and, because of that, there's a different culture when it comes to fame. Celebrities are treated differently there than anywhere else because there are simply so many of them.
So, for someone like Ronaldo, who has hardly had a chance to breathe in public since he was a teenager, a chance to live a normal, private life could be an incredible opportunity.
It's what drew Gerrard to LA when he swapped the familiarity of Liverpool for Hollywood.
“Life off the pitch has been pretty much straightforward,” he told CNN back in 2016.
“Los Angeles is a fantastic city. The weather’s good. I go about reasonably unrecognized and I’ve got peace and quiet out here. There’s so much to do out here for myself and my family."
Could that be the right decision for Ronaldo, who is also a big family man? Possibly. And could the Galaxy pull it off? Well, with three DPs in their squad, they'd have to part ways with either Kevin Cabral or Douglas Costa.
But history has shown the Galaxy are willing to do whatever it takes, especially when it comes to bringing in a signing that could truly change the game.
Getty ImagesLAFC
Any link between Ronaldo and LAFC has to be met with one response.
"There's no way in hell they can pull this one off, right?"
Over the last year, in particular, LAFC have proven themselves the best in MLS in making the impossible possible.
Signing Giorgio Chiellini? Done. Adding Gareth Bale from Real Madrid? That too. Getting both of those players on non-DP deals? Still hard to believe.
Right now, the Black & Gold have those two alongside DPs Carlos Vela and Dennis Bouanga, who was somehow signed from Saint-Etienne after Bale and Chiellini arrived. In theory, they have an open DP spot, but Bale will be taking that on next year no doubt.
So, theoretically, there's no way for LAFC to bring in Ronaldo, simply because the rules wouldn't allow it. But, if there's one thing that we've learned watching MLS teams build rosters, it's that rules are at least meant to be bent, if not broken.
Could anything stop a possible marriage between Ronaldo and LAFC should the two sides want it? Probably not as LAFC could theoretically have the ambition, allure and money to somehow make a play for the club's biggest star yet.
GettyNew York City FC
Just imagine it now.
Cristiano Ronaldo working out a deal with City Football Group to join New York City FC. And, after that first MLS season, in order to stay fit, he returns to England for a loan spell at the Etihad across town from his longtime home.
What a story it would be for Ronaldo to swap Manchester United red for New York City blue given the club's affiliation with his longtime rivals. But few can say no to the Big Apple. Can Ronaldo?
Living in New York is always a draw for foreign stars, who can forsee themselves sitting courtside at Knicks games while bringing their kids to Broadway shows. It's a city that has appealed to the likes of David Villa, Patrick Vieira, Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard, as well as Thierry Henry over the bridge with the New York Red Bulls.
But there are some obvious drawbacks. The City affiliation may not work for Ronaldo, even if he was reportedly close to joining Man City before his Man Utd homecoming. And the thought of Ronaldo closing his career playing in a baseball stadium isn't quite the goodbye many would expect.
Is it possible? Sure. But are there a lot of hurdles in the way? Definitely.