Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly ‘agreed’ to leave Manchester United after the 2006 World Cup.
Ronaldo, 40, remains one of the most spoken about footballers on the planet despite being in the twilight of his career, currently playing for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner previously made his mark in his native Portugal as a youngster with Sporting CP before impressing Sir Alex Ferguson during a friendly between United and the Lisbon club back in 2003.
A then-18-year-old Ronaldo joined United a few weeks later, making his debut against Bolton Wanderers. His talent was obvious, but the forward was still raw and at times rash with his decision-making in front of goal.
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No one would predict that Ronaldo would go on to win three consecutive Premier League titles with United before becoming the most expensive player of all time when he signed for Real Madrid in 2009, having won his first Ballon d’Or a season prior.
The 40-year-old went on to win four Champions League titles with Real, adding to the one he won with United in 2008.
During his time in the Spanish capital, he became the club’s highest goal scorer with 451 strikes in 438 appearances, cementing his status as the team’s greatest-ever player and, in some people’s eyes, the greatest footballer of all time.
After leaving Los Blancos for Juventus in 2018, Ronaldo helped the Italian side win two Serie A crowns and one Italian Cup.
A return to United followed in 2021, but a fallout with then-Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag saw Ronaldo depart in the winter of 2022. His Al Nassr transfer followed, which influenced several top players - including Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Jordan Henderson – to join Saudi Pro League clubs.
But, according to former Valencia sporting director Amedeo Carboni, Ronaldo’s career could’ve played out very differently if a proposed 2006 transfer had been agreed.
Following the 2006 World Cup, during which Ronaldo winked at United teammate Wayne Rooney after he had been sent off in England’s quarter-final defeat to Portugal, it was rumoured that the Portuguese wanted to leave United.
At the time, Ronaldo said: “I think I should get out of Manchester.
“The circumstances are not right to keep playing in Manchester. In two or three days, I will decide where to go.
“I always said I wanted to play in Spain. Nobody stood up for me at Manchester, although I did not do anybody any harm.”
So, Ronaldo’s mention of Spain resulted in interest from several La Liga sides, including Valencia, with Carboni later claiming that the “contracts were signed” in relation to a transfer, but the deal ultimately never materialised.
“We had found the financial resources to get him, we had made arrangements with Nike and Coca Cola - the player's sponsors,” Carboni told Il Posticipo, relayed by Goal in 2020.
“Ronaldo at that time was already earning 10 million net a year, a lot for a club like Valencia.”
Those associated with Valencia will no doubt look back on the reported ‘agreement’ with Ronaldo with regret, given the fact that the club have failed to win a single La Liga title since.
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United, Football, Transfer News, Wayne Rooney, Real Madrid, Valencia
Luke Davies