Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus... the right move or not?
Adios Cristiano. Gracias por los goles, las copas, y las memorias.
The talk of late is that Ronaldo is looking to leave Real Madrid, and join Juventus.
The Grand Old Lady may well yet get one of the best players of all time.
But is this really a shock?
I'm not a Madridista nor Juve fun, though I do respect both clubs for their histories and successes. Nonetheless, I think it's a great move for all concerned.
I'll try and balance this between Real Madrid and Juve, from an outsider's standpoint:
Los Blancos
- Ronaldo needs a new challenge
Cristiano has won everything at the club, including club and individual honours. As a person, he needs new surroundings, and there may be a limit as to what more he can achieve there. There is talk of a fall-out with the club President, Mr. Perez. However, whether this is true or not is moot. What is certain is there has been talk between himself and Juventus, and a move could well happen.
- Doesn't need the money
Well, given his various interests, I doubt he needs the money. Real Madrid may offer him more than Juve in remuneration, but then it's not all about the money. Or in an ideal world, it shouldn't be. Therefore, if Real offer him a huge package, then this alone may not sway him
Note Ronaldo has extensive commercial interests, so no move he needs to make has to be for the financial benefits. He is frequently rated the highest earning sportsperson in the world, and this isn't all due to his Real Madrid successes or basic remuneration.
He can choose clubs that best suit him, his lifestyle, and his family. Note also that he has a young family, and would naturally want to ensure they grow up well.
- Is already a legend
Los Blancos have had many great players, such as Puskas, di Stefano, Sanchez, Raul, Ronaldo (Brazil), Zidane, etc. But Cristiano may arguably be the best of all of them.
And given the names I've mentioned, that's probably not even a bold statement. He's their record goalscorer, and has helped them achieve great heights. In European football, this Real Madrid team is the most successful since those of di Stefano and Puskas.
So his name in the folklore of the club is secure, and he can know that he will leave on good grace.
Juventus
- Can help a great world club succeed again
Juve are the biggest club in Italy, and one of the biggest clubs on Earth. They haven't won the Champions League in many years, but have come close in recent seasons. Ronaldo's presence will help Juve go over the line, and reclaim the CL for them.
- Will put Serie A back on the map
Since the Calciopoli scandal, Serie A has been subdued somewhat, especially due to the commercial success of the English Premier League, and La Liga. However, with Ronaldo there, it would revert attention to Serie A, and possibly take it someway to its 1980s/1990s heyday.
- Juve's intentions
With Ronaldo still in his prime, Juve can state they are willing and able to win major European honours. They have Serie A in the bag as it were, but the next logical step is to win the CL. It is a statement to say to the other big clubs in the tournament that they are ready to achieve in a large way.
Manchester United?
United have the biggest club revenue in the world, and could readily afford him. However, this is dependent on Ronaldo wanting a change or not. He knows United and the Premier League, naturally. But Serie A would be a completely new challenge. There is also talk of him re-joining Manchester United. And of course, he is also a United legend to boot. If Mourinho could get him, then it would certainly close the gap on rivals City, and also be a signal that United mean business.
Deeper needs for Real Madrid
So there are definite advantages to Ronaldo joining Juventus.
Another facet is that Real Madrid need development, and without being trite, the Champions League wins papered over cracks. Barca won the league by some distance, and the Real Madrid squad is ageing. Ronaldo is 33. Yes, he is a beast and not like any other 33-year-old. But then he won't last forever.
Modric is over 30, and other key players like Marcelo are over 30 too. New blood is clearly needed, and the three-in-a-row CL winning team may need to be broken up.
If selling Ronaldo could provide extra revenue to get in Mbappe, or Hazard, or Neymar for that matter, then all the better. Mbappe could potentially win the World Cup. And Neymar, whilst playing for the enemy in Barcelona, could do well if only since he knows what Spanish football is all about.
I usually write about Arsenal, but this time I wanted to comment on this, largely since Ronaldo is a player I admire immensely. I respect Messi a lot too, and both are all-time greats. However, it would be good to see Ronaldo succeed at Juve. He deserves the success he has had, and could have at Juventus.
