Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he could have joined one of his biggest rivals in a recent interview.
Speaking with Edu Aguirre, a TV director, Ronaldo admitted that early in his career, he had the opportunity to join FC Barcelona – his club Real Madrid‘s biggest rivals.
Ronaldo spent nine years in the Spanish capital, amassing a wealth of honours, including four Champions Leagues, two Spanish titles and three Club World Cups.
The honours added to his tally of 450 goals and 131 assists in 438 games during a period which included a fierce rivalry not only with Barcelona, but also their star man Lionel Messi.
During the ‘Los Amigos de Edu’ interview series, the Portuguese forward also confessed that he found scoring at Camp Nou more satisfying than at the Bernabeu.
Ronaldo, who began his professional journey with Sporting CP in Lisbon, shared that despite eventually making his first big move to Manchester United in the Premier League, Barcelona had shown interest in him.
“There was a phase when I was at Sporting, and I had the chance to play for several clubs, one of which was Barca,” Ronaldo revealed.
“Someone approached me to sign me, but it didn’t happen.”
He emphasised the near move, “I was able to sign for Barca,” before reflecting on why it never materialised.
“Maybe they wanted to take me the following year, but Manchester United took me that minute. That’s how fate is,” he mused.
Following a trophy-laden stint at Old Trafford, Ronaldo made his high-profile switch to Real Madrid in 2009 when Florentino Perez shattered the world transfer record to bring him to the Bernabeu.
Recalling those fierce El Clasico encounters, Ronaldo admitted to a particular fondness for finding the back of the net at Camp Nou.
“I was on top. They whistled at me, but I didn’t care about the insults. I only thought about scoring and silencing those people,” he reminisced.
“I liked scoring goals more at the Camp Nou than at the Bernabeu,” Ronaldo cheekily remarked, amusing Madrid fans whilst irking the Culers.
Speaking on Real Madrid’s current star Kylian Mbappe, Ronaldo offered his thoughts on the French number nine: “The position of striker is a bit complicated for Mbappe, because he does not know how to play as a striker.
“Take care of him. Take care of him. I tell the Real Madrid fans… Take care of the kid” he warned fans of Los Blancos.
“It’s not that he doesn’t know how, but it’s not his position. If I were at Real Madrid, I would teach him to play as a number nine, because I wasn’t a forward.
“I got used to playing as a forward. I played on the wing and people forget. If I were him, I would play more or less like Cristiano plays as a forward.”
Ronaldo recently notched his 923rd career goal amidst lots of discussion that he is on target for a milestone 1000.
Despite nearing the mark, Ronaldo insisted he was ‘not obsessed’ by the figure.
“If I finish on 920, 925 goals… it doesn’t matter to me at all. I am the best in history. Period. If I reach 1,000 goals, great. If not, that’s fine too. Numbers don’t lie,” he told Chiringuito.
He has scored 15 goals in 17 matches in this season’s Saudi Pro League, on top of six in the AFC Champions League.
