Cristiano Ronaldo's signing in the ranks of Saudi Arabia's Al Nasser West (Reuters)
Few had a hard time believing it until it became official last night (Friday), but Cristiano Ronaldo is going to play for Saudi Arabia and will probably end his career there, after signing for two and a half years with Al Nasser, who will pay him an unimaginable salary.
This is a shocking transition without a doubt, after we got used for almost two decades to see the Portuguese attacking titles in the highest quality frameworks in the world of football, but it turns out that one of the alternatives that CR7 had was no less surprising.
Shortly after signing with El Nasser, ESPN revealed that Ronaldo was "very close" to joining Sporting Kansas City: the MLS team that plays Israeli Gadi Kinda.
According to the report, Cristiano's representatives held more than one meeting with the American club, one of them even before the exciting interview the striker gave to Piers Morgan of The Sun, when the parties even discussed Cristiano's salary and the commercial potential the deal could have.
In the United States, the star was also offered a huge salary, but in the end he chose Al Nasser.
Almost a friend of Gadi kinda.
Cristiano Ronaldo is presented in Al Nasser (photo: official website, Al Nasser's official website)
Meanwhile, the commentators in England continue to cut down the Portuguese, who in the very same interview with Piers Morgan claimed that he wanted to "play at the highest levels", and in 2015 he stated that he "wants to retire with dignity, not in the United States, Qatar or Dubai".
Former defender Jamie Carragher, who admitted that he is not a supporter of Ronaldo, said on "Sky" that "this is a sad end for him. Ronaldo ended his career in an interview with Piers Morgan, while Messi won the World Cup."
Phil Neville added: "I had a feeling he would want to stay in Europe. That means the offers didn't come and the clubs didn't want him. There's something sad about that for me."
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