Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus: Behind the scenes
When Cristiano Ronaldo made some shocking comments suggesting he may leave Real Madrid, not everyone believed him. And even those who did, could not have guessed his new club would be Juventus. When reports came in that Juventus were front-runners to get the services of the former Real Madrid No. 7, it still seemed like an impossible move.
But the truth is this move went through and Cristiano Ronaldo is now officially a Juventus player.
Now, let us analyze how and why this seemingly impossible move went through by comprehending the point of views of the three main entities involved in this deal: Real Madrid, Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo himself.
Ronaldo's POV
Some people would argue that Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid because of money, however, this looks to be far from the real motive behind his move. If he wanted more money, he could have simply chosen to go to China, where clubs are renowned for offering bumper contracts. Or, he could have joined an ambitious European club such as PSG, who have kept tabs on him for quite some time. Moreover, reports say, even Real Madrid were ready to pay him the same salary as Juventus but the Portugal Captain still chose to leave.
So what could really be his reason for leaving Real Madrid? Here are two possible reasons.
#1 Ronaldo wanted a new challenge:
He is a player, who has won it all in Europe's two top leagues, Premier League and La Liga, and a player, who likes facing new challenges.
And, what could be a better challenge for him than joining a strong league like Serie A?
It was simple to choose Juventus to be his side because they are a dominant force in Europe, who have bossed Italy for several seasons now.
#2 His desire of being loved:
Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably one of the best players in the history of the game but was he really loved the way he deserved to be at the Santiago Bernabeu? Was that love comparable to the one his eternal competitor receives at the Camp Nou?
Forget about the criticism from the media and the rival fans, it is a bitter truth that he was indeed often criticized and booed by a section of Real Madrid fans themselves. A player of his quality and importance, obviously, doesn't expect that treatment from the home audience.
When CR7 scored with that iconic bicycle kick against Juventus in last season's Champions League quarterfinal, he received a tremendous standing ovation from the Bianconeri fans and the way he reacted to this showed his gratitude for their gesture. That was the kind of appreciation he always wanted to receive. So, it was somewhat clear from that moment about where he would like to go if he ever left Real Madrid.
Juventus' POV
Juventus have been dominating Italy for the past 7 years and have been a strong force in Europe, reaching 2 UCL finals in last 4 years, but their problem is they are not able to take their initial success to conclusion as they haven't won the competition since 1996.
Juve wish to change this and there is no better way to do it than to sign the competition's all-time top-scorer himself. By signing Ronaldo for an estimated 100 mil euros, a big sum for a 33-year-old player, it is understood that Juve hope to finally win the Champions League title.
Another reason The Old Lady may have bought Ronaldo is to increase their commercial value. CR7 is a brand in himself and, due to the huge fan-following he has all over the globe, he is also the most followed athlete on social media.
If Ronaldo's brand value was also a factor in Juventus' decision to go for him, then, it is clear they were not wrong as their new signing has already sold an astounding number of jerseys since he was announced.
Real Madrid's POV
If it was in the hands of Real Madrid, they would have never let go of their superstar. Just look at the former Real Madrid talisman's incredible stats, if you doubt it. Ronaldo defined an era at Real Madrid, winning both individual honours and team trophies alike.
If the transfer was ever going to happen, it has happened at the perfect time for Real as they have cashed in on an aging legend while he still was worth a gigantic amount. Had they tried to part ways with him two season later, he might have gone for much less.
Los Blancos have received, from Juve, a sum of money with which they can effectively rebuild their squad under the newly appointed manager, or even go for another Galactico if they want.
Ultimately, this can be seen as a good transfer for all the three parties involved.