One of the most talked-about topics in the past two weeks has been Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible participation in the Club World Cup. But on June 7, the Portuguese star himself put an end to the numerous rumors—CR7 announced that he will not play in the tournament in the USA. TelecomAsia Sport shares what else Ronaldo said and the insider info circulating around him earlier this summer.
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Infantino Said Ronaldo Might Go to the Club World Cup, Rumors Linked Him to Al-Hilal
Let’s start from the beginning. On May 24, FIFA president Gianni Infantino unexpectedly shocked all football media by saying that Ronaldo might attend the Club World Cup, held in the USA from June 14 to July 13. The catch was that Ronaldo’s current club, Al-Nassr, is not participating!
There are negotiations with some clubs, so if any club is watching Ronaldo and interested in involving him in the Club World Cup, who knows... A few more weeks and it will be fun.
A few days later, on May 27, Ronaldo himself fueled the rumors. After Al-Nassr’s last match of the 2024/25 season, he posted on social media:
"This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all."
Many interpreted this as Ronaldo saying farewell to the Saudi club. Moreover, that same evening, FootMercato published an insider report claiming Ronaldo was set to move to Al-Nassr’s main rivals, Al-Hilal, who will be participating in the Club World Cup.
Al-Nassr Tries to Negotiate with Ronaldo, But the Portuguese Refused the Club World Cup
On May 29, Al-Nassr held a press conference where many journalists expected an announcement about Ronaldo’s contract termination. However, team director Fernando Hierro said the club was trying to reach a new agreement with Ronaldo.
Best Betting OddsThat same day, journalist James Bend shared an interesting insider scoop: the Saudi Sovereign Fund does not want Ronaldo to leave the local championship, so Cristiano could only play for Al-Hilal temporarily during the Club World Cup. Luckily, FIFA created an additional transfer window for such temporary moves, allowing clubs to strengthen their squads and resolve contract issues—many modern player contracts traditionally end in the last days of June.
Closer to June 7, rumors first appeared that Ronaldo would remain at Al-Nassr. Then on Saturday, Cristiano himself announced that he would not play in the Club World Cup:
It’s almost decided that I will not participate in the Club World Cup, despite many invitations and offers.
We Lost the Chance to See Ronaldo vs. Real Madrid and Possibly Messi
Since Al-Hilal was reportedly the main contender for Ronaldo, let’s look at who the Portuguese might have played against as part of the Saudi club.
This is a real fairy tale for football fans! Al-Hilal ended up in the same group at the Club World Cup with Pachuca, Salzburg, and... Real Madrid! Yes, if Ronaldo had joined Saudi Arabia’s top club, we would have seen him play against his former club! Especially since Real will be coached by Xabi Alonso—a longtime friend of Cristiano’s with whom he won the Champions League in 2014.
But that’s not all. If Al-Hilal performed well and reached the semifinals, they could face Inter Miami, where Leo Messi leads the attack! A new official match between these two legends would surely break many TV records and fill stadiums to the brim!
Ronaldo Proved His Form in the Nations League Final
Although he won’t be playing in the Club World Cup, Ronaldo recently reminded the world that he's still a force to be reckoned with. On June 8, Portugal won the UEFA Nations League final against Spain - and Ronaldo scored a decisive goal in that match, securing the trophy for his national team.
This victory marked another international milestone for CR7 and confirmed that, at 40, he's still capable of delivering on the biggest stages.
