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CRISTIANO RONALDO and Lionel Messi are sworn rivals, destined to divide followers of their combat to be thought-about soccer’s biggest of all time perpetually.
However it might have been so completely different, with Barcelona REJECTING the prospect to signal Ronaldo and pair him with Messi for simply £15million in 2003.
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That summer season, the Portuguese star was on the point of leaving Sporting Lisbon after a speedy rise to prominence.
After all, Ronaldo in the end joined Manchester United and shot to superstardom earlier than shifting to Actual Madrid six years later.
However now, Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has revealed he turned down the prospect to deliver Ronaldo to the Nou Camp in a deal that might have modified the face of the game perpetually.
Laporta – president on the time – claimed he has ‘no regrets’, saying it was between Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, with Barca choosing the established Brazilian star.
Trying again on that fateful resolution 18 years in the past, Laporta instructed Iniestazo: “We had been about to signal Ronaldinho and Rafa Marquez.
“Marquez’s folks proposed Cristiano Ronaldo to us. He was at Sporting on the time.
“One in every of his brokers mentioned that that they had a participant who that they had offered to [Manchester] United for €19m, however they’d promote him to us for €17m.
“However we had already invested in Ronaldinho on the time. Cristiano performed extra out vast than within the centre.
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“We thought we had been lined, so we rejected him.
“I do not remorse it.”
Barcelona would go on to get pleasure from big success with Ronaldinho, successful two LaLiga crowns and one Champions League title throughout his five-year keep.
The Brazilian additionally received the Ballon d’Or throughout his time on the Nou Camp, in 2005.
Somewhat than hyperlink up with Messi, Ronaldo headed to Outdated Trafford – the place he would three Premier League crowns and one Champions League.
He too received a Ballon d’Or at his new membership, taking dwelling the primary of his 5 FIVE awards in 2008.
After quitting Man Utd in 2009, Ronaldo would go on to terrorise Barca whereas enjoying for his or her fiercest rivals, Actual Madrid.
In 9 years on the Bernabeu, he received two LaLiga crowns and a staggering FOUR Champions League crowns earlier than becoming a member of Juventus for £99m in 2018.
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