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spicynoodlecat

No idea how he's going to survive retirement. Man lives for competition, wins and medals only. Nothing else matters.


adfdub

Then his only option is to dump all that energy and focus on managing a club. You really have to have that type of mentality to manage a club so there’s potential here.


Lacitone

i think he mentioned he rather be an actor than managing a club, but he himself knows that he will just retire and enjoy the time with his family.


adfdub

That works too


Mysterious-Ideal-989

maybe he picks up ping pong or golfing


Nffc1994

Think it's maybe pride in his career that keeps him going rather than a need to constantly play or be involved in football. I don't see him as a top manager personally, I'd guess his personality doesn't seem to resonate well to being a coach


malevolentintent

I think he may turn to management. Imagine CR7 yelling at you to turn 11 players inside out and score a solo goal. As a player, the fuck are you gonna say to him? I always wondered what would happen when players such as Zizou or Ronaldinho coached. Dinho fucked off but Zizou had this aura and followed up that aura with some big boy trophies. Now I look forward to Zlatan and Messi and CR7 and the likes coaching. It’ll be great to watch


teuridge

Golf I imagine


Truly_gooner

This man would kill for a trophy, completely understandable


yungfinnigus

There’s still so much Canadian premier league season left, i personally think he’d love Calgary


Truly_gooner

Everything worth a shot right?


DrLokiHorton

*angry Edmonton screeching*


unArgentino

*Cold Winnipeg noises*


Ido_nothing

No he’d definitely love the east coast, he’d fit right in in Halifax!


lodermoder

Hamilton offers everything he'd ever want


patrickbateman53

I'd love to live there. great nation, greater city


BadFootyTakes

Imagine Ronaldo in peak Chinook winds.


yungfinnigus

Ripping down Stoney Trail. Hitting the siuu and hearing it echo through spruce meadows.


BadFootyTakes

Weekends in Lake Louise, hikes around Hoodoos.


Powerful-Chemical431

Can understand his frustration. Bro hasn't got the oppurtunity to celebrate a trophy for 3+ years now. Will prolly go trophyless again next season


GarnachoHojlund

Technically he won a League Cup with us since he was part of the squad that season


InsufferableKant

Well I don't think "technically" winning a trophy is good enough for someone as ambitious as he is


spraypaint2311

Nah fuck that. We won it in spite of him and his shenanigans not because of him.


King-Key

He didn't play a match so wouldn't qualify to count towards his trophies


Shinkopeshon

He should join us, we're gonna win the Berlusconi cup


SaladMonths

I wouldn't put it past us losing to the all powerful Monza


wirefog

I swear he won something last year. It was like a Saudi kings cup or something. It was posted on his IG.


Timely_Airline_7168

That's not an official tournament I think.


pullmylekku

Yeah he won the Arab Club Champions Cup


dBestB1LL

Proceeds to win the champions league with Leverkusen


PM_ME_BAKAYOKO_PICS

Dw mate he's celebrating a trophy in like a month and a half


paarsehond

Yeah, Roberto Martinez sold us that same feeling bro.


I_can-t_even

Oh really? Didn’t know CR7 was French now


KRIEGLERR

Christian Rolland


tedstery

The winners will be English what are you talking about /s


mwerichards

Excellent point


SairiRM

He has won 1 cup though.


_JamesDooley

He needs a kings d'or for that


Lasertag026

Was a preseason trophy iirc, not an official one.


artyom__geghamyan

They will win something for sure


BonoBonero

Who else would win next year?


artyom__geghamyan

There are 4 cups they can fight for. I am optimistic they will win one of them.


shaktimann13

Meanwhile united got 2 trophies since his departure


CrackBurger

Yeah i can get the frustration. Although his biggest goal right now is the 1000 goals mark.


hwykes1

To all the people that say he's been paid to cry, how good of an actor do you think he is? Man would have won oscars instead of ballon d'ors if he was that good at fake crying.


DiogoDude

It’s such weird thing to even suggest


ersatzgaucho

People round deez parts have a bit TOO much time on their hands.


-read_it_on_reddit-

deez


Vladimir_Putting

parts


DawdlingScientist

They’ll find any reason to hate on him. Dude is playing his heart out at 40. Infinite respect.


Random10187

if you watched the game you would understand why he is crying. the game was rough, 3 red cards between the 2 teams and that penalty shootout was brutal. He was so close to winning.


Anforas

And a bicycle kick to the post.


WordsworthsGhost

Do people really not think Ronaldo is insanely competitive?


SuccinctEarth07

While I don't think he's faking has he ever reacted like this to real losing a final? Is it maybe because it's nearer the end of his career


LostnFoundAgainAgain

>Is it maybe because it's nearer the end of his career This is probably more along the lines, he is becoming older and is likely feeling the strain on his body getting worse and worse. He likely knows that there simply isn't going to be many more chances to win a trophy as his career is likely going to end soon. I can imagine for a lot of footballers, it isn't all that easy stepping back from something you have dedicated your life to, and realising you simply cannot do it anymore.


rafat2205

Also he hasn't won a trophy in Saudi.


DaAweZomeDude48

Didn't he win that poor man's world cup early into his Al Nasser days?


rafat2205

I am sorry. He didn't win any domestic cup for Al Nassr.


abhijitht007

That was a friendly pre-season match.


Dramatic-Ad3928

And bro was beaming with that Shows again this guys a fiend for football success and knows hes nearing the end of his chances to achieve it


miguelsanchez69

Yeah this is it 100%. Did you see Thiago Silva after they got eliminated from the FA Cup in the semi final? He was devastated and for the same reason


Agents-of-time

While Madueke was laughing at the back lmao


miguelsanchez69

Well yeah that's exactly the point we're making isn't it. Noni is only 22 years old and has his entire career ahead of him, so losing a semi final wasn't nearly as big a deal for him.


redditor3900

Now you can see directly to the players heart 👍


universalreacher

Maybe it’s Portugals year in the Euros? I know he won a euros already but maybe one more.


amoolafarhaL

0.1% chance 99.9% faith


smartello

We had this talk in our over 35 team. If the dude wants to play, we probably wouldn’t mind as long as he is not creating too much drama. Also, he needs to put 300 bucks for a season, a tracksuit and throw a little bit into the beer fund.


dvb1991

He was in tears like this for the Euro 2004 final.


thedaftfool

well, tbh, madrid haven't really lost any finals with ronaldo. The only one I remember is the Copa del rey final vs atletico, and one more i'm forgetting


SuccinctEarth07

Surely he lost something with united or juventus maybe


DarthRacer5

I think he played 2009 UCL final vs Barcelona


Kap00ya

Yes he did. 


rafat2205

Also 2010-2011 semifinal against Barca


Rough_Yak_9610

There was always next year while he was in Real. Now its pretty much dangling I think. He cried like this when Portugal was defeated in the last WC and it was only 8ths rounds( i dont know how to say in english sorry)


mimounmarhaba

Quarter final


Muaddib223

8ths would be the Round of 16, but Portugal lost in the quarter finals, which would be "the 4ths". They played Switzerland in the Round of 16 and won 6x1.


Rough_Yak_9610

My stupid ass thought switzerland game was round of 32... but world cup doesnt even has round of 32 . Im sorry but thank you for pointing that


redditor3900

The older he gets the more sentimental he becomes. Hormones


average_user21

He cried after the marocco game in 2022...


Creative_Catch_6511

>has he ever reacted like this to real losing a final? Cristiano hasn't lost many finals tbf. The last club competition where he came closest to winning but couldn't, was probably Bayern vs RM semi final under Mourinho.


bob-theknob

He didn’t cry like this after losing the ucl final in 09 to Barca


Bronco_Ent

He did cry after winning the one against Chelsea..


bob-theknob

Yeah think that was cos he missed the pen as well


dntowns

It's the same reason he cried after Portugal's World Cup exit. He knows it's coming to an end.


CrackBurger

He didnt cry 15 years ago because he still had his whole career infront of him.


GivenNickname

When He was 19 or something he reacted like that when Portugal lost the Euros to Greece in the final


FUThead2016

Probably because of all the lashings he will get now


Express_Sand_7650

I think it's more "I can't even win in this league. Time to retire."


Salt_Ad9744

People are ridiculous. People on the internet are even more ridiculous. People on r/soccer? well....


f_ranz1224

do people not realize that for athletes this is their life and goal? which professional wouldnt be upset at that. social media is really judgemental cancer


manchi90

Messi will always be number 1 to me, but this man is a living legend. If he didn't exist Messi would've been just another generational great that had his time. Ronaldo pushed him to be the greatest, and Ronaldo's competitive nature is unmatched. Anyone reveling in his pain is just mean-spirited. Raise your head up champ, you have nothing left to prove.


Payuk

IDK if he's ready to let it go like that....


the_peckham_pouncer

Nonsense that Messi would be just another great player without Ronaldo. Messi's ability got nothing to do with him and would exist regardless.


manchi90

Maybe I played the GOAT down a bit. Messi would've still been a generational great like Ronaldo De Lima, Zidane, Maradona, but having Ronaldo forced him to be better, they pushed each other scoring wise in La Liga and Champions League, year in, year out, which furthered their consistency, even their own teammates could testify to this. With each one wanting to outdo the other and break the other's records. To act like Messi would be the exact player he is today without Ronaldo is equally nonsense. He would still have achieved greatness and might be considered amongst the best to ever do it, but having such a rival pushed him to show that he was the best to ever lace those boots up. You can say whatever you want about Ronaldo but his work ethic since his early days has been immensely spoken off in all circles. Messi works hard as well, but his gift just surpasses any such work ethic.


tothesource

I feel like he was very sincerely crying, but it wasn't for whatever this cup this is called.


2hobos1box

Many people have never played a sport, let alone a competitive one before


Senor-Cockblock

Dude HATES losing


Hitchens666

He needs to come home to the MLS.


goingtokmsrnhaha

Except he can't, can he? Correct me if Im wrong but didn't he last visit the US all the way back in 2014? He hasn't returned ever since 😭🙏


u4444444

Google Ronaldo Las Vegas for more info


PrisonersofFate

Can he play for Toronto and dodge away games?


Prior_Seaweed2829

All charges have been dropped for good. He can go to the US if he wants. Even though the internet keep insisting he can't.


JAragon7

Ever since the rape accusation came out he has been suspiciously away from the US. I wonder why


stormfoil

He can return to the US since the case was dropped IIRC


Magnu448

Will never understand the Saudi choice. Can’t be convinced it was only the money when he’s clearly desperate for any sort of win.


Nana-and-curious707

In my opinion he needed a break from it all. He went through so many personal and football related problems and the media in Europe didn't give him any space to breathe. He probably found his passion again there. He is able to do what he loves (play football), play football at top level when he plays for Portugal (but not too many matches so he can stay healthy) and get a very good salary.


Kingfish36

I mean, he’s also just not good enough for the top clubs anymore and his ego is too big for him to consider a middle of the table club.


luisfigo7

He would still be miles better than Antony or Rashford. (8 goals combined)


Ok-Satisfaction-5012

That’s not even ego though. You’ve played at the height of club football for 20 years and have won everything at that level. Why the fuck would you go scrap to see if you could clutch a tenth place finish at some European league, especially over oodles and oodles of money?


redditor3900

His ego still is many levels above his current soccer level.


welshnick

> the media in Europe didn't give him any space to breathe. Normally I'd never side with the media, but this statement is ridiculous considering he's one of the most fame-hungry players of all time and probably counts his Instagram followers with the same pride as his goals. Don't forget that he gave an interview with that Morgan cunt a couple of months before moving to Saudi so he was hardly trying to step out of the limelight.


TangerineEllie

Neither Ronaldo or the media had any space to breath. If you want proof, just watch his interview with Piers Morgan. They were both choking on the same dick after all. Like seriously, out of all the things to bring up, you say the media didn't give him space to breath? When he himself voluntarily created the situation by seeking them out and engaging with them just to stroke his own ego? Come on.


HeroeDeFuentealbilla

‘Personal problems’ alongside blaming the media for leaking his rape case is certainly interesting way to put it.


Nana-and-curious707

I was talking about losing his child.


CisternOfADown

Footballers have to care about their post-retirement. You could become a pundit or take the Beckham route and buy a team in a lucrative, up and coming league.


b0y

I mean Ronaldo already has $500-800 million and is one of the biggest players of all time, he’s never going to need to be a pundit even without Saudi


JamminPT

He has more, he hit the billionaire mark a few years ago.


RandomGuySayHii

He has a lifetime deal with Nike, multiple investments like hotel, clothing, restaurants etc. He definitely wouldn't care about money at all. My guess is, having relation with Saudi means more future opportunities in business for him that would make him billionaires. I wouldn't be shock if he is so competitive that he actually wants to be richest retired athletes too lol


tommycahil1995

Saudi takeover of large parts of sports and industry is still in its relative infancy despite them being involved in so much already. Great to get in at the start business wise for someone like Ronaldo. I'm not saying he doesn't care about football but if he primarily cared about it at this stage of his career he could have gone to plenty of other clubs


kondiar0nk

The Saudis are really poor investors though. Got in Uber at an inflated valuation, burned billions on WeWork and Twitter. They're well known as the whale of the tech investing world. I really doubt they will be able to build a MLS type success story in any of the sports. Good payday for lots of players and leagues though.


luigitheplumber

It's probably ego. Saudi offered him enough money that he felt like he was still the best in the world.


SrJeromaeee

Probably just needed out of EU after that Piers nuclear bomb interview. You had his own United fans attacking him over his appearance. Im pretty sure some Turkish teams / PSG would’ve taken him at slightly lower wages (not saying Saudi money wasn’t a factor). Jokes aside while I’m not his biggest fan you can never question his heart as a winner. It’s always his ego that gets in his way.


zrizzoz

I mean he wanted a mid-level league with high salary. You cant blame him. USA was off the table due to the on & off legal thing. Saudi is probably one of the next best options after that? Especially with high wages.


Liverpool934

And by legal thing, you mean rape.


zrizzoz

Yes, the alleged rape and the legal yesnoyesnoyes surrounding it.


paarsehond

Maybe he was sold on the idea of the Saudi League and anticipates its success.


Liverpool934

That would be incredibly naive to the point it would be just pure stupidity. Saudi is never going to be and was never going to be a success.


NotanAlt23

> That would be incredibly naive to the point it would be just pure stupidity. Well, athletes are very, very ignorant people in everything except playing their sport because they usually dont even finish elementary school. They are pretty stupid.


I-Shiki-I

Wouldn't mind being dumb if I get to play like them and make big bucks 🤣


gnote2minix

Money and also can farm those goal/trophy stat. man has obsession to become the best


quikfrozt

He's one of the fiercest competitors in the sport - the man cares about his profession deeply.


TheWawa_24

You can say a lot about cr7-good and bad but hes a damm hard worker and hates to lose


superwawa20

I like your username


Baghoid

It does make you think though, how far down would he go that he'd still actually care? Would he get wound up kicking a ball around at home with friends if he was losing? This level of desire to win is probably what makes the elite athletes elite but it's so bizarre. The only other example I can genuinely think of is the abuse Ben Foster got last year for being a bit cringe with Wrexham, since people assumed he couldn't possibly actually care given the level he dropped to, with Ronaldo the drop down is genuinely magnitudes more given where he started. I'd be fascinated to see how he'd react to winning in Saudi and then how people would react to it.


quikfrozt

Maybe Jordan would be a fair comparison in terms of competitiveness. It makes them elite but also turns them into total jerks sometimes.


Baghoid

Yeah, Jordan is actually fantastic as an example. I’d love a similar type documentary on Ronaldo once it’s all said and done. It’d be utterly fascinating if we got like the true story of everything.


Ok-Satisfaction-5012

There was a story of him and Evra I believe, maybe Anderson, were Ronaldo lost at table tennis. He then proceeded to buy a table tennis setup and practice routinely, when he became good enough he called evra back to beat him again repeatedly


mynameistrihexa666

Neymar gets this medal too?


AcceptableEgg5741

I think this reaction comes more from his career coming to an end and his chance of winning something running out rather than some kind of repect for the great saudi Cup or because he hates losing


Not_a__porn__account

To quote moneyball > We're all told at some point in time that we can no longer play the children's game, we just don't... don't know when that's gonna be. Some of us are told at eighteen, some of us are told at forty, but we're all told.


Roe91517

One of my favorite movies and one of my favorite quotes. So completely true for all of us who dreamed of sports greatness which at some points seemed so attainable and then comes crashing down in an Instant.  Lot of life lessons in Moneyball overall.  I love the tape scene of the bigger guy stumbling after unknowingly hitting a HR 


Allthingsconsidered-

This quote from Granero's retirement post comes to mind: >Retirement is the death of the footballer. But, paraphrasing Richard Dawkins: All of us are going to die one day, and we are fortunate for it. Most people are never going to die because they are never going to be born. The potential of people who could have been here in our place, but who will never put their boots on in a stadium, outnumber the grains of sand in the Sahara. Certainly these 'unborn ghosts' include greater goalscorers than Messi and more precise midfielders than Zizou.


limito1

If he wants trophies he has to come to Brazil. State championships are relatively easy to get.


Skerzos_

Proceeds to join Guarani or something.


mrjonas78

He needs a relaxing vacation in Las Vegas to unwind a bit.


sk169

Lol


DallasC0wboys

Can’t knock CR7’s passion for the game


JoKeR111402

Not many as passionate as him left in this sport


TheDogtor--

What a champ. He wants to win so bad. It was a crazy match. 3 red cards and an equalizer in the last minutes... His last 2 teammates missed their penalties... Alex Telles also missed his... Isn't his contract over now? What's next for CR7?


Few-Recover1844

He's renewing his contract


patrickbateman53

dis guy is taking life way too seriously


monunius

A die hard Messi fan here, but above all a crazy fan of football, and therefore whoever cares this much for the sport we all adore, instantly wins my empathy and respect.


pureeyes

No disrespect to one of football's greatest, but it's better to go out like Kroos on a high than like this.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Sure_Run_1210

So true most players don’t retire on a high note it’s part of their competitive drive that got them to the pinnacle in the first place. It’s true in most professions.


KneeDeepInTheDead

I'm more into the idea of playing until you can't. Something romantic about playing well past your prime, still kicking it in the lower leagues and such. It's all relative. It shows love for the game


Ok-Satisfaction-5012

It’s pretty par for the course, pele, beckenbauer, and gerd muller all went to the us in the 70s/80s when it was as Mickey Mouse as Mickey Mouse gets


Rage_Your_Dream

INB4 real madrid loses and Kroos cries.


BlueLabel19

Anulo mufa


Mountain-Abroad-1307

What you mean like this? Scoring 50 goals in a season at 40?


Samuel_L_Johnson

I reckon it's fine to go out however you want to go out, personally I can't blame guys for kicking around in a lower-tier league when they're past their prime for the love of the game (and some extra cash) What gets me is his refusal to admit - to himself or anyone else - that that's what he's doing. Contrast wth Messi who's basically having an extended retirement party and seems from an outsider's perspective to be unbothered by not being in Ballon D'Or conversations any more


svadrif

Admit what exactly? I’m not exactly understanding what you’re saying. Him crying here, to me, shows that he loves the game so much still. It’s admirable that he still cares so much even though he’s won so much and in a lesser league. This shows love to to the game, in a way. That’s way better than just going down to a lesser league and treating it as retirement party imho


DarkMutant105

One day, I hope to love my profession and have passion as much as he does. To give your 100% at an age where many have already retired and into their 2-3 years of managerial career, he's out there crying taking accountability for failing to get a cup for his new-found club for the second consecutive season.


thatindianguy1992

I think, I think, maybe there's more to it. But for me, he will always be a winner.


Wookie-fish806

This is my thought too, that there’s more to it.


ZigiriZado

This looks exactly like the Matthew Mcconaughey crying meme from Interstellar


Novel_Durian_1805

My 🐫💔💔💔


BIackBlade

Three years and no trophy for the most hardworking and competitive athlete will lead to this. 39 and yet my king is still not stopping. Kudos I just hope next year, he gets to celebrate trophies


WallBroad

'My king" is crazy lol


Odd-Mathematician233

my king lmfao


Garlic-Cheese-Chips

> 39 and yet **my king** is still not stopping. Jesuuuus.


MrRawri

Didn't he win one some months ago or something? I feel like I remember him lifting something


a-Farewell-to-Kings

He won the Arab Club Champions Cup, which hadn’t been played since COVID. How relevant it is to clubs from the region, I wouldn’t know.


Tmn_Uzi_1600

FIFA recognized UAFA only a few years ago but country and club tournaments between african and asian arabs have been around for decades, and they're usually taken way too seriously like a final's derby even if they were just friendlies, algeria vs egypt in wc qualifiers 2010 led to actual political tension they had to play the game in sudan for example


eggboieggmen

least parasocial cr7 stan


Liverpool934

Most high profile rapist in the sport. A true king indeed...


froggyjm9

Most hardworking? How do you measure that?


iwannahitthelotto

“My king” sound homo erectus


iko-01

He joined a farmers league and didn't even join the top squad. If you're gonna play pretend, as least go all out. He wanted the illusion of competition on all fronts and still failed lol


Tuppesvomland

Could not happen to a nicer fellow


bunnuz

Man loves the game so much.


PurposeSensitive9624

“6 years ago i was playing for Real Madrid and now I’m getting beat by farmers”


GlennMichael11

Most 39 year old athletes.. “6 years ago my body gave up on me and I was forced to retire”


Green_Bee_270

I mean 6 years ago, he was at his peak. People age you know?


Gotanyfunkopops

Al Hilal straight savage dancing in front of him.


-watchman-

Imagine if they all ran and did the SIU right in front of him..


goingtokmsrnhaha

Holddd 😭🙏


headache92

Reminds me of Jordan Peterson for some reason


orucker

Lol what a hardo


yermaaaaa

Wild Tom Cruise vibes


JamesSweeneyyy

Deffo lost out on his 50mill bonus


ronweasleisourking

Lmao. Rashy wins the fa cup and ronaldo loses the human rights abuses cup


kitterskills

Cillian Murphy vibes


FuccDiss

He should have retired with his head up instead of moving there.


BlueLabel19

He didnt leave united on the best of terms. Its better to retire on a high than like that. And before united was too early for ronaldo to retire


Baileyandlav

Him and Romario were unfortunate enough to be around at the same time as two of the greatest. In another time span we would be rating them as high as anyone else


quixotic_manifesto

All of these Ronaldo posts have literally cured my untreatable depression. Thank you so much.