Why Man United almost stopped Ronaldo from joining Real Madrid in 2009
- Cristiano Ronaldo was sold to Real Madrid in 2009 as the most expensive footballer in the world
- The forward has gone ahead to conquer the world since then as he is the most successful player in the history of the UEFA Champions League
- Reports now have it that Sir Alex Ferguson preferred selling the 35-year-old to Barcelona instead of Real Madrid
PAY ATTENTION: Join Briefly News' Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United for Real Madrid as the then world record signing in a deal around €94 million in 2009.
A deal the Red Devils tried to stop from happening as sources claim they preferred him joining rivals Barcelona instead.
That would have made him link up with Lionel Messi in what could have ended up to become the most deadly attack in world football.
If the 35-year-old had made a switch to the Catalan club, he would have been playing alongside Thierry Henry from the left flank, Zlatan Ibrahimovic upfront and Messi behind the striker. While Ronaldo would be expected to operate from the left flank.
Source: Getty Images
Los Blancos had already landed Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso, and Ballon d'Or winner Kaka in response to Pep Guardiola's all-conquering debut season at Nou Camp the year before.
However, the Galacticos were nearly denied the jewel in returning president Florentino Perez's masterplan if Sir Alex Ferguson had got his way.
The 79-year-old Scot wanted to keep Ronaldo at all costs once he'd accepted that the former Sporting Lisbon winger was set to leave. Fergie had even said back in 2008 that he wouldn't sell Madrid a "virus" let alone his best player.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, the United boss realised at the time that Barcelona was the only other club who could afford Ronaldo.
The 79-year-old apparently contacted the Catalans to encourage a bid but the Portugal captain had already set his mind on a move to the Bernabeu according to SunSport.
Briefly.co.za earlier reported that Cristiano Ronaldo and his girlfriend Georgina own a whopping R54 million worth of new jewellery.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one celebrity who, aside from football, is well known for his style and class as the legend reportedly spent over £2.6 million just on jewellery recently.
The Juventus striker and his girlfriend Georgina were special guests at the recent Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai where they flaunted their jewellery.
SunSport is reporting that the Portuguese striker had £600k worth of ice all on one hand as he accepted the award for player of the century.
Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!
Source: Briefly News
Kelly Lippke (Senior Editor) Kelly Lippke is a copy editor/proofreader who started her career at the Northern-Natal Courier with a BA in Communication Science/Psychology (Unisa, 2007). Kelly has worked for several Caxton publications, including the Highway Mail and Northglen News. Kelly’s unique editing perspective stems from an additional major in Linguistics. Kelly joined Briefly News in 2018 and she has 14 years of experience. Kelly has also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. You can reach her at kelly.lippke@briefly.co.za.
Thando Mpembe Thando Mpembe is a sports journalist who has a passion for all things entertainment. In her spare time, Thando enjoys reading and spending time with family. She is an advocate for mental health and believes that a healthy body starts with a healthy mind. Thando holds an Honours Degree in Journalism from the University of Johannesburg. Her favourite quote is "Gentle reminder - you are not for everyone and that is a blessing". Email: thando.mpembe@briefly.co.za
