Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he was close to joining Barcelona from Sporting Lisbon before switching to Manchester United in 2003.
Speaking to El Chiringuito de Jugones, Ronaldo recalled how he was initially scouted by Barcelona, but later chose United under Sir Alex Ferguson.
“Yes, it was when I was playing at Sporting Lisbon and I had the opportunity to join various clubs, one of which was Barcelona,” Ronaldo said.
“I remember being with a person from Barcelona who wanted to sign me, but it didn’t happen. Maybe they wanted to bring me in, but it would have been for the following year. Then, a club like came along and signed me immediately. You know how fast everything moves in football,” he added.
Ronaldo spent six years at United scoring 84 goals as a winger, winning the Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League before making his record-breaking move to Real Madrid in 2009.
At Madrid, Ronaldo cemented his status as a footballing legend, scoring a staggering 451 goals in 438 appearances across all competitions.
The Portuguese captain became the all-time top goalscorer for Los Blancos and played a crucial role in their historic dominance in Europe, winning four Champions League titles with the club.
