Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo revealed information regarding his decision to retire from football and Paris Saint-Germain's interest in signing him. In a special feature published by the French sports newspaper "L'Équipe," Ronaldo stated that he "took a risk by leaving Real Madrid to join Juventus four years ago." He expressed his disappointment to the French newspaper over not winning the Ballon d'Or in 2018.
He added, "I risked coming to Turin. I changed the culture of the club, the league, and football. I took a gamble, and that gamble made me not win the Ballon d'Or in 2018." He continued, "At that time, I decided that if Messi won the Ballon d'Or in 2018, I would retire from football," according to the Spanish newspaper "Marca." Neither Messi nor Ronaldo won the award in 2018, as Luka Modrić claimed it after leading Croatia to the World Cup final in Russia that year.
Ronaldo confirmed, according to "L'Équipe," that PSG is still interested in acquiring his services. He explained, "I know the door is open. I see myself playing at the Parc des Princes in front of 50,000 Portuguese migrants. It would be great."
"Marca" linked Ronaldo's recent purchase of an expensive house in Portugal to the possibility of returning to play for Sporting, the club where he began his career. The newspaper reported that Ronaldo bought a luxurious home in Portugal for $11 million, which he plans to redesign to increase its value to $21 million.
"Marca" noted that Ronaldo's home purchase is connected to rumors about his desire to leave Manchester United, suggesting that Sporting could be his next destination. A report from the British newspaper "The Sun" last month stated that Ronaldo is open to the idea of returning to play in Serie A. Sources close to Ronaldo confirmed that his advisors are exploring opportunities for him at Chelsea, Newcastle, and Arsenal.
The source highlighted that Napoli is the most likely destination for Ronaldo, as the club believes in the Portuguese player's ability to help maintain their position at the top of Serie A and support their campaign in the Champions League. However, the obstacle lies in Napoli's ability to meet the wage demands Ronaldo may request, as he currently earns £360,000 a week, while Polish player Piotr Zieliński earns £90,000 a week, making him the highest-paid player in the Italian team.
