I was close to signing for Barcelona — Cristiano Ronaldo

Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has made a startling revelation, disclosing that he was close to joining Barcelona during his time at Sporting Lisbon.

The 39-year-old forward, who moved to Real Madrid in 2009, spent nine seasons with the club, scoring 451 goals in 438 competitive appearances and winning four UEFA Champions League titles with Los Blancos.

Speaking in an interview with El Chiringuito, Ronaldo—who now plays in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr—hinted that Barcelona had shown serious interest in signing him before he joined Manchester United.

“I could have signed for Barçelona when I was playing for Sporting Lisbon,” Ronaldo told El Chiringuito.
Ronaldo was one of the most sought-after young talents in world football during his time at Sporting Lisbon, attracting attention from top European clubs, including Barcelona.

However, he revealed that the move to the Catalan club ultimately fell through, leading him to sign with Manchester United instead.

“I was with someone from the club, and they wanted to sign me, but it didn’t happen. They wanted me to join them the following year, but Manchester United wanted me immediately,” he said.

During the interview, Ronaldo was also asked for his opinion on the greatest player in football history.

Despite being 39, the Portuguese superstar continues to find the back of the net and earns a staggering $3 million per week in the Saudi Pro League. Over his illustrious career, he has won five Ballon d’Or awards and all major club-level trophies.

On the international stage, Ronaldo led Portugal to victory in the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the 2019 UEFA Nations League. The only major title missing from his collection remains the FIFA World Cup.