Cristiano Ronaldo can score a hat-trick in every game in Saudi Arabia and it ultimately won't matter. He needs to return to Europe to justify his place in the Portugal national team and to prolong his legacy as one of football's greatest players of all time.
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After his explosive interview with controversial British broadcaster Piers Morgan last year, it was clear the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's relationship with Manchester United had to end. In fact, it seemed that the sole purpose of the interview was just that – to break up what had become a toxic affair. In ending his long run of being left on the sidelines by manager Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo ultimately got what he wanted, while the Dutchman himself benefited hugely from the outcome too. One, the positive results that followed the Portuguese's departure justified Ten Hag's decisions, earning him respect from fans, pundits and journalists alike. Two, he no longer had an unhappy player on the bench to deal with during a good moment for the club.
Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian giants Al Nassr following the 2022 FIFA World Cup after signing a world-record deal worth more than €200 million (R3.9 billion), an agreement that made him the highest-paid footballer in history. When it comes to the club that signed him, they're already reaping the rewards in terms of visibility and profile growth, which goes hand in hand in developing and improving the Saudi Pro League, but what are the advantages for Ronaldo, if not financially? Unfortunately, there don't seem to be many. Ronaldo is scoring goals in the Middle East as expected and nobody seems to truly care. What he achieves in Saudi Arabia naturally won't be met with the same recognition as his past successes in England, Spain and Italy as the Saudi Pro League, in most ranking systems, ranks outside of the world's 50 best football divisions. It is not even the best-ranked Asian league. That title currently belongs Japan's J League.
This wouldn't be a talking point had Ronaldo put his hands up, admitted that his overall game was in decline and made it clear he was off to Asia for a final payday, but that is not how matters played out. In the transfer window at the start of the 2022/23 campaign, reports suggested that the ex-Los Blancos talisman had been pressuring his agent, Jorge Mendes, from whom he has since reportedly split, to find another top club in Europe for him to join. Bayern Munich and Chelsea, in particular, had been identified as teams he would have been open to moving to, but the interest was not mutual. Mendes failed to deliver on his client's wish, which many believe might have marked the beginning of the end for the men who had previously enjoyed a father-and-son-like relationship.
Instead, Ronaldo continued to back his ability, saying in his volcanic interview with Morgan, which was released in two parts, that he believed he could still contribute at the highest level. He echoed that same sentiment last week while on international duty with Portugal, insisting he sees himself representing his country for a long time, but is it really fair that he keeps younger players, such as Benfica's in-form striker Goncalo Ramos, sidelined while playing in a considerably weaker league compared to his teammates as he approaches his 40s? One might argue that the four goals he scored in A Selecao's two 2024 European Championship qualifiers answers that question, but they did come against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg – two nations currently ranked below Bafana Bafana in FIFA's latest standings.
Ronaldo should decide what he truly wants before he leaves new Portugal manager Roberto Martinez in a difficult position. When their opponents get trickier, the calls for him to be dropped will get louder, as it did during the World Cup, but perhaps that wouldn't be the case if he was still scoring goals in a respectable league in Europe. It should be his priority to return, especially if he is not ready to call time on his international career.
Opinion by @KurtLaduma
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