Ferdinand: Ronaldo’s dream was to play for Real Madrid not Manchester United
Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand has revealed that Real Madrid was Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream club despite all the successes the Portuguese super star achieved at Old Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a total of 118 goals in 292 games played for Manchester United and won his first Ballon d’Or, three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup, one Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup during his six years at Manchester United.
Despite all of his achievements, the England and United icon revealed Cristiano Ronaldo would have left United after their 2008 Champions League triumph over Chelsea but he persuaded him to stay.
“I remember Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream was to play for Real Madrid,” Ferdinand told Sky Sports.
“He has been at Manchester United for a number of years he accomplished all that he wished to achieve, I spoke to him and his agent as we won the Champions League.
“I knew at that time there was a potential move to Real Madrid and I was at the end of the season saying to him please stay we’ve got more things to achieve, there is more for us to achieve together.
“I knew Ronaldo was going to help me win more trophies, I knew if he was at Manchester United for more years I would win more trophies.”
Cristiano Ronaldo waited that year and lost in the Champions League final to Barcelona before joining Real Madrid in the summer of the 2009-10 season on the then World record fee of £80 million.
Since joining Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a total of 407 goals in 392 games, he is now the club’s all-time highest goal scorer, and have won three Champions League, two La Liga, two UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Copa del Rey titles.
He has won three more Ballon d’Or titles and could equal long term rival Lionel Messi with the fourth in Madrid’s shirt and fifth in total this season.
