File photo of Cristiano Ronaldo
He waited till Gareth Bale signed. And then he did too.
On Sunday, at the Santiago Bernabeu, Cristiano Ronaldo signed a five-year deal with Real Madrid that ties him to the club till 2018, when he is 33.
Much was made of Ronaldo's reported 'unhappiness' with the club at the beginning of last season. Manchester United's ears perked up and Paris St. Germain were batting eyelids as well. A tumultuous 2012-13 season, with Jose Mourinho and Iker Casillas at loggerheads, kept Cristiano a mute spectator. He was believed to be upset at the lack of support offered to him by the club in his quest to reclaim the Balon d'Or, which Barcelona rival Lionel Messi has won for the past four years. Ultimately, Ronaldo agreed a contract extension in April. Yet, he did not put pen to paper.
It was reported that with the imminent arrival of Welshman Bale, Ronaldo wanted assurances that he was the No. 1 player at the club and his wages should suggest the same. So he stalled, waited for the Welshman to arrive, compared contracts and then signed. With two years to go on his previous deal, the timing couldn't have been better for the club.
The new deal takes Ronaldo past Lionel Messi as the highest-paid player in Spain. Was there ever any doubt that Ronaldo would stay?
The Portuguese international has scored a remarkable 203 goals in 203 games since joining Madrid for a then world record 94 million Euros from Manchester United back in 2009. And he is hoping to continue that sensational form for the next five years.
"It is a privilege for me to continue with this club. It is just like my first day here," he said.
Ronaldo did seem to confirm that Manchester United were one of the few clubs interested in his services but now believes that he will see out his career in the Spanish capital. "Maybe I will stay here until the end of my career. This club is the biggest in the world and I am extremely happy."
"Everyone knows I was very happy at United, but Manchester is my past, Real Madrid is my present," he added. The new bumper contract he signed may have also secured his future.
On Sunday, at the Santiago Bernabeu, Cristiano Ronaldo signed a five-year deal with Real Madrid that ties him to the club till 2018, when he is 33.
Much was made of Ronaldo's reported 'unhappiness' with the club at the beginning of last season. Manchester United's ears perked up and Paris St. Germain were batting eyelids as well. A tumultuous 2012-13 season, with Jose Mourinho and Iker Casillas at loggerheads, kept Cristiano a mute spectator. He was believed to be upset at the lack of support offered to him by the club in his quest to reclaim the Balon d'Or, which Barcelona rival Lionel Messi has won for the past four years. Ultimately, Ronaldo agreed a contract extension in April. Yet, he did not put pen to paper.
It was reported that with the imminent arrival of Welshman Bale, Ronaldo wanted assurances that he was the No. 1 player at the club and his wages should suggest the same. So he stalled, waited for the Welshman to arrive, compared contracts and then signed. With two years to go on his previous deal, the timing couldn't have been better for the club.
The new deal takes Ronaldo past Lionel Messi as the highest-paid player in Spain. Was there ever any doubt that Ronaldo would stay?
The Portuguese international has scored a remarkable 203 goals in 203 games since joining Madrid for a then world record 94 million Euros from Manchester United back in 2009. And he is hoping to continue that sensational form for the next five years.
"It is a privilege for me to continue with this club. It is just like my first day here," he said.
Ronaldo did seem to confirm that Manchester United were one of the few clubs interested in his services but now believes that he will see out his career in the Spanish capital. "Maybe I will stay here until the end of my career. This club is the biggest in the world and I am extremely happy."
"Everyone knows I was very happy at United, but Manchester is my past, Real Madrid is my present," he added. The new bumper contract he signed may have also secured his future.
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