Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably one of the Top 10 Soccer Players of All Time. That doesn't make him one of the Top 10 Best People of All Time.
At 37, his time in top flight soccer is nearing an end. How much time does he have playing on teams that could make a deep push in the Champion's League? Maybe 1 year, maybe 2 years, 3 years tops.
So when Ronaldo came out this weekend and said he wants to be traded from Manchester United to a team that is competing in the Champion's League, I was suspicious. Taking him at his word, that means he'd be okay being traded to Swedish side Malmö that made it to the group stage last year?
Of course not. Even though Malmö has won their league 6 of the 9 last seasons, Malmö can't afford Ronaldo.
Now this is where we would have to make some common sense speculation. Manchester United found out that they weren't going to be playing in the Champion' League in May. What changed between May and July?
Surprise, surprise, Man U got a new manager in that time period. Nothing much else has changed in regards to the team except for the manager. Either Ronaldo doesn't like his new manager, Erik ten Hag, or he's insulted that he's been told he has to play exhibition games in Australia.
Being one of the Top 10 Highest Paid Soccer Players in the World, but also being about 5 years past an average soccer players' prime, there's not really much of a market for Ronaldo. That's why he should have made his feelings known in May. Again, by waiting until the week before he's supposed to hop on a jet to Thailand, he is trying to send a message. There's really only 2 translations for his timing here:
Message 1 - I hate Erik ten Hag. If that's the case, Man U can simply ship him off to a desperate Premier League team looking to sign a big name and has bottomless pockets, someone like Newcastle United. Problem solved.
Message 2 - I am not playing exhibition games, in Bangkok, in 85 degree weather with 100% humidity. If that's the case, the United front office can simply say Ronaldo has a phantom injury, like a mild groin pull, then let him rest until the Premier League opener. NFL teams do this all the time for veteran players.....veteran players that they like. Problem solved.
I'm not saying that Ronaldo doesn't want to play in the Champion's League, I'm saying he's too smart to take 2 months to figure out that United wasn't playing there next year. Champion's League Soccer is probably fourth or fifth on the list of what motivates Ronaldo. His top 2 motivators are himself and money. That's why the 2 messages above start with I.
You work for The 18 and you think that maybe he's MLS-bound? That's delusional thinking on their part, that's WAY beneath him.
You say I should be a good reporter and ASK him these questions? He ain't telling me the truth either, I'm WAY beneath him.