Cristiano Ronaldo has verified he will not be participating in the upcoming Club World Cup, scheduled to take place in the United States starting June 14. This comes despite reported interest from a number of different teams.
The Al-Nassr player`s contract status, which could potentially lead to his departure from the club, fueled speculation that he might sign a short-term agreement with another team specifically for the tournament before finalizing his future plans. However, speaking ahead of Portugal`s UEFA Nations League final against Spain on Sunday, Ronaldo addressed these ongoing rumors.
“I will not be at the Club World Cup,” Ronaldo stated. “Some teams reached out to me. Some made sense and others did not, but you can`t try and do everything. You can`t catch every ball.”
Al-Hilal, another club within the Saudi Pro League, was reported to be among those interested in his services. This potential move reportedly caused discussion within Saudi Arabia, as both Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr are owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. A transfer of a player of Ronaldo`s profile between these two clubs could potentially be viewed negatively. Brazilian clubs and Mexico`s Monterrey were also mentioned as having links to the forward.
Presently, Ronaldo is engaged in discussions with the PIF and high-ranking Saudi officials regarding his contract situation, as they are keen to keep their star player in Saudi Arabia. Al-Nassr has reportedly offered guarantees to enhance the team`s squad to better compete for the league title, with potential targets including names like Luiz Diaz and David Hanko. While these efforts might convince him to stay, it is now confirmed that he will not be playing in the Club World Cup for any other club.
Benedict Kingsley