5 football transfers that shocked the world
The transfer market is where teams go to fill in their weaknesses or to further strengthen a side which might be one piece away from a championship. Since the dawn of professional football, the transfer window has delivered to our fans some of the most exciting stories and moves across countries which are forever etched in history.
Over the past few years, the amount of money being spent on player transfers has reached an all-time high. This, in turn, has led to some big-money moves across major teams which no one saw coming.
In this list, we take a look at five of the most shocking transfers to ever take place. These transfers are famous (or infamous) due to the nature of the move, or the money involved, and a few of them changed the face of football as we know it today.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid to Juventus, 2018 (€100 million)
No one ever really thought of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid - surely him and Lionel Messi would stay in the world's two biggest clubs in the same country and fight it out forever, right? Well, the script was not the same.
After winning his 4th Champions League with Real Madrid in five years, the Portuguese superstar decided to call it a day with the Los Blancos. His move to Serie A champions Juventus shook the entire footballing world, as one of the greatest players ever had left the greatest club at his peak.
Ronaldo was Real Madrid's best, and most adored player at the time of his departure, and the club has not been the same since he moved. Not only is this move significantly due to the star power involved, but also because it changed football - the Real Madrid dominance was effectively ended, whereas Juventus came one step closer to the Champions League, a trophy they have always coveted.
Moreover, it was effectively the end of football's greatest rivalry, as no longer would we be seeing Messi vs Ronaldo at least twice a year (if ever again).
Also check out: Premier League Table Champions League table La liga table 2019-20