“I don’t like him as a player” - When Cristiano Ronaldo was told to retire by ex-Real Madrid forward
Former Real Madrid and Inter forward Antonio Cassano had claimed in 2022 that Cristiano Ronaldo needed to hang his boots while the Portuguese was undergoing a tumultuous period in his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo's glorious career took a poetic turn when the five-time Ballon d'Or winner returned to Manchester United in 2021. He brought an end to his three-year stint at Juventus FC for a move back to the Premier League.
However, Ronaldo's return turned sour shortly after the arrival of former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford in 2022. The Dutchman fell out with Ronaldo, and a lack of game time prompted the forward to publically express his displeasure with his coach.
It was at that time when Antonio Cassano, once a striker at Cristiano Ronaldo's former club Real Madrid, voiced his opinion on the Portuguese's retirement. The Italian told the Muschio Selvaggio podcast:
"At this point, Cristiano should love himself, do himself a favour and understand that, if he cannot reach a level, he must end his career. He has won everything, he has been a phenomenon. Now it’s time to retire.
"I have a lot of respect for CR7, but I don’t like him as a player. [Lionel] Messi is like [Diego] Maradona. He had to leave Argentina at the age of 14 and face serious physical problems, which speaks of sacrifices."
Cassano spent only one season at Real Madrid in 2006. The Italian was loaned out to Sampdoria the next season, and saw out the rest of his footballing career playing for numerous clubs in the Serie A.
How did Cristiano Ronaldo's dream move to Real Madrid come to be?
Having spent six iconic seasons playing for the Red Devils, Man United were reluctant to ship Cristiano away. His first spell at Old Trafford brought the club numerous silverware, including the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
Thus, when Real Madrid came calling, United were unwilling to let go of their star forward and the then-Ballon d'Or winner. Former Madrid president Ramon Calderon recently shed light on more details regarding the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga. He revealed in an interview (via Madrid Xtra):
"It was difficult to convince Manchester. Logically, they didn't want him to leave. Thanks to the player's will and the commitment made by bot sides in December 2008, the deal was completed at the end of the season."
In the end, both parties reached an agreement and Cristiano Ronaldo became a Real Madrid player following a world record transfer of €94 million. He stayed at the Spanish capital till 2018, in which period Ronaldo won 17 trophies, including four Champions League medals and four Ballons d'Or.