Cristiano Ronaldo: “My contract is unique because I am a unique player” | Atalayar
Among the most poignant images of this end of the year is Cristiano Ronaldo posing in an Al Nassr shirt. it was painful because of its colour, its meaning, its comparisons to Messi and because it looked more like a low-end kit from any market than the five-time European champion’s at the height of his career. In addition, there is a feeling of cotton that will “pill” even from the first wash. Many of us will have a hard time getting used to not seeing Cristiano Ronaldo among the elite of world football. The Portuguese shocked the football world by visiting Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Nassr. He received a million dollar offer that made any intention of a contract in Europe completely ridiculous.
The Portuguese is the highest paid footballer in the world. Interestingly, Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary combines the salary of his four predecessors. The exorbitant amount the Arabs paid for CR7 made him the highest paid footballer on the planet, remember, €214m a year. “I’m a unique player. I’ve broken all the records in Europe and I want to break them here. This contract is unique because I’m a unique player, that’s normal.” After more than 15 years of unprecedented regularity at the highest level, the Portuguese star is ‘retiring’ from senior football. The Portuguese said he was coming to a growing league with plenty of money and a future that could compete with European football.
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يـوقع formallyًا لـ #العالمي ?#رونالدو_نصراوي pic.twitter.com/BBq469mAYh— Nadi Al Nasr Saudi (@AlNassrFC) December 30, 2022
Ronaldo is the record scorer in the Champions League and the top scorer of the national team. “I’m done in Europe,” Cristiano Ronaldo told supporters of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, where the Portuguese star has signed a contract until 2025, on Tuesday. “I’m done in Europe, I’ve won everything, I’ve played in the biggest clubs” The Portuguese football player, who made a statement to the press, said that he received many offers from European clubs and even from Brazil, but he gave his “promise” to those in charge of his new club and wanted to take advantage of the “opportunity” to play in Asia.
Dressed impeccably in a dark suit and white shirt, 37-year-old Ronaldo once again displayed his famous ego, describing himself as a “unique player”. “It’s great to be here. I’ve broken all the records there (in Europe) and I want to break some here as well,” the Portuguese told reporters at the Mrsool Park stadium where his new club usually plays. Ronaldo added: “I am here to win, to compete, to be happy, to be part of the success of this country and the culture of this country.” He confirmed that he chose the Saudi club and rejected “many” offers not only from Europe, but also from “Brazilian, Australian, American and even Portuguese”.
The first moments to reach the best of Allah #العلام ??
نجـم #النصر CHRISTIANـو رونـالـدو في الريـاض ?#StillRonaldo ? pic.twitter.com/NlxLNmh1Ma— Nadi Al Nasr Saudi (@AlNassrFC) January 3, 2023
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner agreed to terminate his contract with Manchester United in November, shortly before the start of the World Cup in Qatar, where the Portugal captain reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Morocco. Ronaldo, who holds the Champions League goalscoring record and is the national team’s top scorer, admitted that football has changed a lot in the last two decades, referring to Saudi Arabia’s recent World Cup victory and Argentina’s eventual victory. “For me, coming to Saudi Arabia is not the end of my career. To be honest, I don’t care what people say,” he insisted.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most talked about players due to his innate qualities for the sport, but what is more talked about is what he does and says off the pitch. It is well known that the Portuguese’s ego is inflated partly because he can and partly because he likes it. As the Spanish proverb says, time puts everyone in their place. While Messi has lifted the most coveted trophy of any player, even an individual like Cristiano Ronaldo, now playing in the minor leagues, his only wish would be that Leo doesn’t score more goals than him.
If there’s one reason why CR’s arrival in Saudi Arabia was surprising, it’s because of his famous comments after current FC coach Xavi. Messi’s Barcelona are the best in the world, Ronaldo hinted that if you play in a minor league like Arabia, your opinion doesn’t deserve to be heard. If you had told me 5-6 years ago that Cristiano Ronaldo would sign a contract with an Arab team, I would not have believed it. After leaving Madrid, all options are open. What can you expect from a player who is “grieving” at the best club in history because he was not paid enough.
Why now, in a championship where he has no more competition than his teammates; In a world of football where Messi, Mbappé, Neymar and Iniesta have won more than their combined; he doesn’t look happy, it is very simple, because deep in his heart he knows that the decision is wrong and even in Madrid, where his son plays, they love him as if he never left him. I would never have thought that someone so insatiable in their daily life could put their pride aside. It’s a shame, as a football fan, not to be able to witness such a wonderful end to such a unique player.
