Possible Ronaldo Comeback? Soccer Star Reportedly Trains At Real Madrid’s Facilities After Manchester United Fallout

Topline

After a tumultuous fallout with English Premier League club Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the training facilities of his former team, Real Madrid on Wednesday, Spanish outlet Diario AS reported—a sign the world’s third-highest paid athlete could make a return to his former club.

Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly started training at the facilities of his former club, Real Madrid.

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Key Facts

Ronaldo started training at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas facilities on Wednesday, after asking the team’s management to use the training grounds to stay fit while he searches for a new team, sources told ESPN.

One of professional soccer’s biggest stars over the past two decades, Ronaldo has been without a team since November, when he and Manchester United agreed to terminate his $618,000 weekly contract.

Before Ronaldo’s exit, the club weighed taking legal action for an alleged breach of contract after an explosive interview in which Ronaldo—the club’s highest-paid player—insulted the club’s ownership and said he doesn’t respect manager Erik ten Hag.

What We Don’t Know

Where Ronaldo will sign. Although Ronaldo, a free agent, can’t sign with another club until the Premier League’s transfer window opens next month, his decision to train at his former team’s facilities has sparked rumors of a potential reunion. Last month, however, Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr reportedly offered him a 3.5-year contract worth more than $100 million per year—a deal that would make him the world’s highest paid athlete, although he denied having signed a deal with the club.

Key Background

Ronaldo spent just over a year with Manchester United after his return to the club last August, and reportedly asked to leave over the summer after a disappointing season, the Athletic reported. Ronaldo became an international star in his first stint with the English club between 2003-2009, when he helped the team win three Premier League championships, but left for Real Madrid before the 2010 season. After nine years in Madrid, Ronaldo signed a $340 million contract to join Italian club Juventus in 2018. Since the start of the 2022-2023 season with Manchester United, however, Ronaldo has just one goal, having been demoted from his starting role to the bench.

Tangent

In a surprise move in the Portugal men’s national team’s World Cup match earlier this month against South Korea, manager Fernando Santos pulled the 19-year veteran from the match in the 65th minute, when Ronaldo was caught on video footage clearly frustrated, saying, “he’s in a rush to snub me.” Santos said he watched the footage and “didn’t like it at all,” although he later said, “there is no problem with our captain” and he “had no issue with my decision.” In Portugal’s next match against Switzerland, 21-year-old Goncalo Ramos, who replaced Ronaldo, scored a hat trick, helping Portugal advance to the quarterfinals, where Ronaldo was once again benched to start the game. Ronaldo came back onto the pitch as Portugal trailed Morocco in its quarterfinals match last week, although Portugal wasn’t able to muster a goal and lost the match 1-0.

Big Number

$115 million. That’s how much Ronaldo earned in 2022 in his contract with Manchester United as well as endorsements off the pitch, according to Forbes’ estimates. He trails rival Lionel Messi, a striker with Paris Saint-Germain, who took in $130 million in total earnings.