"Paris had Neymar and Mbappe, 2 players he adored" - Cristiano Ronaldo's biographer reveals how close Manchester United superstar was to joining PSG
Thierry Marchand, former head of foreign football at France Football, has said that Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo was close to joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
The Frenchman has written a biography on Ronaldo after conducting a series of nine interviews with him. Titled 'Cristiano', it will release on November 9. Marchand shared how he discussed the prospect of Ronaldo signing for PSG during a meal with him in 2019 when the striker was playing for Juventus.
He said that the Portuguese ace was tempted by the idea and could have even signed for the Parisians had an offer been made. In the biography "Cristiano," Marchand wrote (via L'Equipe):
""Paris ? The door is open" CR7 (34 years old at the time), during a meal following the match of C1 Juventus Turin-Lokomotiv Moscow (2-1), October 22, 2019."
He added:
""So, Cristiano, when do we see you in Paris?'' I knew that Ronaldo loved the capital. And that he sometimes traveled there on his days off, incognito. Above all, I was sure he dreamed of being summoned there again, to receive a sixth Ballon d'Or. His answer sounded like a promise, but not in the way I expected: ''The door is open.''"
Marchand wrote that Ronaldo was certain that if he joined the Parisians, Portuguese fans in the area would fill the stadium:
"He insisted: ''Only with the Portuguese from the Paris region, the club could fill the stadium. I see myself well at the Parc des Princes, in front of fifty thousand Portuguese. That would be great.''"
The Frenchman added:
"It was no longer a chimera but an offer of service. If Nasser al-Khelaïfi had been in the room that evening, he would have had only a piece of paper to hand him to make him a PSG striker. It was too easy, almost unreal. For five minutes, CR7 boasted to me of the charms of the Parisian club as probably, none of its leaders would have been able to do."
🎙️ Cristiano Ronaldo in 2019 when asked: "So, when do we see yourself at PSG?"
"The door is open. (...) Just with the Portuguese from the Paris region, the club could fill the stadium. I can see myself in Parc des Princes, in front of 50,000 Portuguese supporters." https://t.co/K2DMXOseOD
Marchand also revealed Ronaldo's admiration for Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who play for the Parisians. He wrote:
"The whole catalog was there. Paris was rich. Paris had ambition. Paris had Neymar and Mbappe, two players he adored. Paris had witnessed his coronation with Portugal in 2016. Paris would understand him better than anyone. Paris would make him sparkle more than any of its lights. And Paris would necessarily offer him a new Ballon d'Or."
He added:
"In the room of the Taola restaurant, area of the Turin club, CR7 proclaimed aloud his vibrant love for PSG."
Ronaldo currently plays for Manchester United, having arrived from Turin in the summer of 2021.
Cristiano Ronaldo joining PSG would have been historic
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner joined Juventus in 2019 after leaving Real Madrid in 2018. He stayed two more years with the Italian club before returning to Manchester United last summer.
While Ronaldo was United's top scorer last season with 24 goals across competitions, he has struggled massively this season. He has registered just three goals and two assists in 16 games.
One wonders what the Portuguese ace could have achieved with PSG's super team, who are looking to win their maiden UEFA Champions League. Ronaldo has five and is the top scorer in the competition with 140 goals.
No player in the history has dominated the UCL like Cristiano Ronaldo.🐐 https://t.co/J830XXIwHG
However, that didn't happen, and PSG signed his eternal rival Lionel Messi last summer after his Barcelona contract had expired.