Cristiano Ronaldo reported reportedly the opportunity of a Club World Cup showdown with Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.
The Portuguese striker confirmed last week that he would not be seen in the revised tournament in the United States in the early morning hours of Sunday morning.
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Ronaldo’s Club Side Al-Nassr has not qualified for the 32-team tournament, but a South American team did not stop that, which showed their interest in winning the star for the duration of the competition.
His contract with the Saudi -Pro -League -outfit expires at the end of the month, which triggered speculation about its immediate future.
Since the long-term rival Lionel Messi was seen in the club world championship for Inter Miami, the football gods were expected to find a way to compete Ronaldo.
However, the 40-year-old confirmed this week that he would not be in the United States for the tournament, an explanation that could be made with the assertion of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Ronaldo.
“It is almost decided that despite many invitations and suggestions, I will not take part in the FIFA Club World Championship”
“There were conversations, contacts … but you have to think about short, medium and long -term thinking.”
However, another club has revealed that their attempts to convince Ronaldo to join them for the tournament are in vain.
The Moroccan Club Wydad Athletic, who starts her Club World Cup campaign against MAN City next Wednesday, claims that preliminary contact to sign Ronaldo has taken place, but a deal was never nearby
“Cristiano Ronaldo would not have come for the money because he didn’t need it. I don’t know how the rumor was dealing,” Hicham Aït-Mena, President of the Wydad Athletic Club, told Afrique to RMC.
“But it is true that I contacted one of his agent friends three and a half or four months ago and said:” Wouldn’t he want to play in the Club World Cup? “He replied:” Listen, I don’t think. “I think FIFA was also interested in bringing players in Saudi Arabia in order to give this issue more excitement.
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“There were never real negotiations for this player,” he added.
“We would have liked to have had it, but financially we would not have been able to pay the price he is worth. Unless he showed interest … I even came back two or three times.”
Instead, Wydad turned to another ex-chacher United star to strengthen her squad.
The Moroccan midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, who plays for Jose Mourinhos Fenerbahce, was listened to as an option, and Aït-Mena said the 28-year-old was on board with the idea.
“I thank Sofyan Amrabat because he really did everything to play with us,” the club boss revealed.
“But the decision was with his club, which did not allow him.”
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Wydad received a tough set of games with Manchester City in the group stage, before a collision with Italian giant Juventus.
Al-In offers the final test for the Moroccans to make the knockout rounds.
The FIFA Club World Championship begins with Al-Nahry against Inter Miami on Sunday morning at 1 a.m.