Cristiano Ronaldo declines an invitation to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup from an Argentine club.

Cristiano Ronaldo declines an invitation to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup from an Argentine club.

 

 

In mid-March, I informally conveyed to him, “Hey, I have a Club World Cup coming up. For a player like you, who defined an era… don’t you have any intention of playing in it?” through a mutual acquaintance.

 

 

 

 

ESPN was informed by Gallardo. Gallardo intended to secure Ronaldo on a temporary loan from Al Nassr, utilising FIFA’s regulations that permit such transient transactions during the tournament. Ronaldo rejected the proposal after careful consideration, informing Gallardo that he must focus on preparing for the upcoming season.

 

 

 

 

The tournament has a prize fund of US$1 billion and is contested by a number of teams. Although Al Nassr did not qualify for the tournament, Ronaldo garnered interest from clubs in Morocco, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and even Saudi Arabia’s largest club, Al Hilal.

 

 

 

 

Additionally, FIFA president Gianni Infantino publicly urged clubs to recruit the five-time Ballon d’Or winner in order to elevate the competition’s profile. Ronaldo announced at a press conference on June 7, the day prior to the UEFA Nations League final, that he had received an offer from Argentina and expressed a desire to visit the country at a later date. Nevertheless, the 40-year-old elected to remain at Al Nassr.

 

 

 

 

An extension has not yet been finalised, and his contract is scheduled to expire at the end of June 2025. Gallardo, a 49-year-old former attacking midfielder for Argentina, led River Plate to two Copa Libertadores titles before briefly managing Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia during the 2023–2024 season. Ronaldo captained Al Nassr. Gallardo returned to River Plate after being unable to acquire any cutlery in Saudi Arabia.