April 4, 2023
No one knows what Ronaldo will decide to do when his contract with Al-Nassr comes to an end. A few experts claim the Portuguese superstar could end hang up the boots, while others defend the idea he still has a lot to offer to this sport...
With there being no signs of Cristiano Ronaldo slowing down, there is plenty of speculation on what will happen after his two-and-a-half-year contract comes to an end with Al-Nassr and Saudi Arabia in general. There are likely to be plenty of options for the iconic forward as he's shown in Saudi Arabia and on the international stage with Portugal that he still has so much to offer. At the age of 38, Ronaldo still holds hopes of returning to Europe and play again in his favorite competition, the UEFA Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Should he have gone to the MLS?:
Before making the switch to Al-Nassr, there were reports of strong interest from Tottenham Hotspur for Ronaldo. After years without silverware, Spurs have been looking to take that next step to compete for the Premier League title. Tottenham find themselves battling for a top-four finish this season and are 23/10 with football betting sites UK to achieve that goal. Acquiring someone of Ronaldo's calibre could have taken Spurs from top-four contenders to potential title challengers but the move did not come to fruition as he pursued an exciting new challenge with Al-Nassr.
Spurs will find themselves looking to bolster their attacking options this summer, especially with uncertainty regarding their star striker Harry Kane and a possible move away from the capital. Perhaps down the line when Ronaldo's contract concludes at Al-Nassr they could again consider a move for the Portuguese star, who is still in tremendous shape despite his advancing years. A player of Ronaldo's success and influence would be a great benefit to a Tottenham squad that have struggled to get over the line and win silverware over the years.
There were rumblings of a move to the United States following Ronaldo's abrupt exit from Manchester United at the end of last year. Sporting Kansas City were believed to be close to getting a deal over the line for the experienced forward, who was United's top goalscorer the season before his departure from Old Trafford. Kansas City chairman Rob Heineman is believed to have been involved in serious talks with Ronaldo's team before the player eventually decided on his move to Saudi Arabia.
There have been plenty of big names that have made the move to the MLS over the years, including the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Kaká. Securing a name like Ronaldo's would arguably be the biggest coup the MLS has ever seen, with the league eager to land one of the greatest stars Europe has ever produced. Even going into his 40s, there is little doubt Ronaldo would still have plenty to offer an MLS franchise after his time at Al-Nassr. With the popularity of soccer growing in the United States, the potential arrival of Ronaldo would be another significant boost for the sport as it looks to compete with the NFL, NBA and MLB.
Of course, there is still plenty of time on Ronaldo's contract at Al-Nassr and he will have big ambitions about what he wants to achieve in Saudi Arabia. However, much like after his exit from Old Trafford, there is set to be plenty of intrigue on what the next chapter has in store for Ronaldo in a couple of years' time.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League is on April 4, Al Adalh. You can watch Al Adalh vs Al Nassr, Juventus vs Inter, Barcelona vs Real Madrid, Leicester City vs Aston Villa, Chelsea vs Liverpool and Bayern Munchen vs Freiburg, all matches provided from our live soccer game pages.
Al Nassr next game:
Al Adalh vs Al Nassr kick-off time (04-04-2023):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 03:00
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 00:30
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+3: 22:00
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+2: 21:00
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+1: 20:00
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 16:00
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 15:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 12:00
Sources: ronaldo7.net / bbc.co.uk / mirror.co.uk
