In the summer of 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo’s future hung in the balance, poised to make a move away from Juventus after a three-season stint in Serie A. As per the speculations, Manchester City was the front-runner at the time to move for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
However, the legendary figure of Man Utd, Sir Alex Ferguson, wasted no time when he got wind of City’s interest. He personally reached out to Ronaldo, making a persuasive case for him to rejoin the red side of Manchester. Ronaldo heeded the call, and the rest, as they say, became history.
Fast-forward 15 months, and Ronaldo’s second stint at Man Utd had run its course, leading to an unexpected move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr.
It’s in this context that the fan base of Cristiano Ronaldo finds itself pondering a compelling “what if” scenario: What if the Portuguese superstar had chosen to don the blue jersey of Manchester City in the summer of 2021?
The debate stemmed from a tweet by a fan page of Ronaldo, @TeamCRonaldo, who uploaded a picture of Ronaldo in Manchester colors with the caption, “One call from Sir Alex ruined everything“.
Supporters have been passionately divided on the matter. Some contend that Manchester City would have undoubtedly benefited from Ronaldo’s presence, potentially securing European glory sooner and further extending their dominance in the Premier League.
🌕“One call from Alex Ferguson changed his decision ”
Meanwhile reality:
Reporter: “if Man utd hadn’t come in for Ronaldo, would you have signed him?”
🎙️Pep: “I don’t think so!”
— Messi.goatsi 𓃵 (@alienmessi5) September 20, 2023
In contrast, a different perspective emerges from those who believe that Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, may not have been as enthusiastic about Ronaldo’s arrival as some had assumed. They argue that discussions of Ronaldo’s potential move to the blue half of Manchester were, in essence, mere speculation.
