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Cristiano Ronaldo and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) almost had a meeting of the minds in 2019, according to former head of foreign football at France Football, Thierry Marchand. In a biography of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Marchand reveals that Ronaldo had expressed interest in joining the French club.
The conversation regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's interest in the Parisians reportedly took place on October 22, 2019, after a Juventus match. Marchand asked the Portugal international if he would come to Paris, and the forward's response was clear (via Le10 Sport):
''Only with the Portuguese from the Paris region, the club could fill the stadium. I see myself well at the Parc des Princes, in front of fifty thousand Portuguese. That would be great."
Marchand went on to state that Ronaldo would've accepted an offer on the spot if the PSG chiefs were in the room with them:
"If Nasser Al-Khelaïfi had been in the room that evening, he would have had only a piece of paper to hand to him to make him a PSG striker. It was too easy, almost unreal. For five minutes, CR7 boasted to me of the charms of the Parisian club as probably none of its leaders would have been able to do."
Unfortunately, for Cristiano Ronaldo, it seems that the opportunity to join PSG has now passed. The club has since made several big-name signings and has a strong lineup of talented players, including Ronaldo's rival Lionel Messi along with Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar Jr. It is unclear whether Ronaldo would still be interested in joining the team at this point, or if PSG would even have the room to bring him on board.
With PSG potentially out of the question for Cristiano Ronaldo, where next?
Ronaldo has had a difficult end to the year, with Portugal's elimination in the quarter-finals of the World Cup and the termination of his contract (by mutual agreement) with Manchester United. It seems the divorce between the two parties was inevitable, following his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
The 37-year-old striker is currently searching for a new club, with rumors swirling about a potential move to Saudi Arabia. Despite the missed opportunity for a move to Paris, Ronaldo has had a successful career with clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.
Cristiano Ronaldo has won numerous titles and accolades, including five Ballon d'Or awards, and is widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. It will be interesting to see where he ends up next and if a seat could be set up for him at the Parc des Princes.
