Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals He Nearly Teamed Up with Lionel Messi in This Team

Football legend Ronaldo discloses that Barcelona scouted him before he joined Manchester United, a move that reshaped modern football rivalries.

February 5, 2025: Cristiano Ronaldo, one of football’s greatest icons, recently made a surprising revelation about his career trajectory. Speaking to journalist Edu Aguirre on El Chiringuito de Jugones, Ronaldo shared that before his illustrious journey with Manchester United, he was on Barcelona’s radar during his time at Sporting Lisbon.

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“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 revealed. He recalled meeting someone from Barcelona who expressed interest in signing him, but the move didn’t materialize. “Maybe they wanted to bring me in for the following year. Then Manchester United came along and signed me immediately. You know how fast everything moves in football,” he added.

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Had Ronaldo chosen Barcelona, he might have joined forces with Lionel Messi, creating a duo that is hard to fathom given their eventual fierce rivalry in Spain’s El Clasico. Instead, Ronaldo joined Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United in 2003, a decision that set him on a path to become Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer with 451 goals in 438 appearances. His battles with Messi during his nine years at Madrid redefined football history.

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Interestingly, Ronaldo also caught the attention of Arsene Wenger, the legendary Arsenal manager, who later admitted that failing to sign the Portuguese star was the biggest regret of his career.

Despite the alternate career paths Ronaldo might have taken, his choices have cemented his legacy as one of football’s all-time greats.

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Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Barcelona transfer, Manchester United, El Clasico, Ronaldo career revelations, football history, Real Madrid