FIFA World Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo gambles on Qatar 2022 to restore reputation
The HinduNot for the first time, Cristiano Ronaldo is trusting himself to deliver on the big stage. But to hear him in that interview, it’s clear Ronaldo believes he has been underused and ill-deployed by United manager Erik ten Hag. The World Cup is his chance to prove that point, because if he carries his club form into the tournament it’s hard to know where he will turn up next. Even as a free agent, Ronaldo’s reported salary of about 500,000 pounds per week presents a considerable hurdle for other interested clubs. “They think they find the last Coca-Cola in the desert.” That analogy only fed the impression that he — a five-time Ballon d’Or winner who has won five Champions League titles and seven league titles in three different countries — is increasingly a player who is out of touch with the modern game.