
Ronaldo’s representatives held ‘positive’ talks with the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo came close to joining an MLS club before his move to Saudi Arabia, with a potential ownership stake discussed as part of the negotiations.
Ronaldo, 39, left European football at the start of 2023, joining Saudi club Al Nassr on a three-year contract after Manchester United agreed to terminate his deal at Old Trafford.
In the process, he became the highest-paid player in world football, with the Portuguese superstar reportedly earning £177m per year with the Saudi Pro League side.
0 seconds of 7 secondsVolume 90%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard Shortcuts
Shortcuts Open/Close/ or ?
Play/PauseSPACE
Increase Volume↑
Decrease Volume↓
Seek Forward→
Seek Backward←
Captions On/Offc
Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf
Mute/Unmutem
Decrease Caption Size–
Increase Caption Size+ or =
Seek %0-9
Ronaldo held talks with several other clubs before joining Al Nassr.
Advert
And things could have turned out very differently, had he accepted an offer from Sporting Kansas City.
Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes told the Kansas City Star that the club held multiple meetings with senior representatives of Ronaldo before his move to Saudi Arabia and claimed negotiations “took on real legs”.
The Athletic report that at the time the MLS had an internal database of 50 players who would bring the greatest value to the league if recruited, with Lionel Messi and Ronaldo placed at No 1 and No 2, and Kylian Mbappe ranked third.
According to the report, Messi had not yet joined Inter Miami at the point Sporting KC entered negotiations with Ronaldo.
The MLS side were said to be “serious” with their approach and had suggested “creative packages that would have involved cuts of international jersey sales and potentially a stake in the ownership of the club”.
According to the Kansas City Star, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick – who has a stake in Sporting KC – was prepared to explain to Ronaldo what it is like to live as a sporting superstar in the city.

Ronaldo held talks with the MLS club (Image: Getty)
“The feedback was positive and one meeting became another, with senior figures at the team convinced they were down to the final two before Ronaldo opted for Saudi Arabia,” added the report.
The Athletic report claim that a move to the United States for Ronaldo was previously deemed as unlikely by multiple senior executives from other clubs due to several factors.
It is claimed that there had been a “quiet acceptance” that a transfer would not happen due to the costs involved in the signing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, combined with “publicity that had surrounded” rape allegations made against him in the US.
Former model and teacher Kathryn Mayorga alleged that the former Manchester United and Real Madrid footballer raped her at a Las Vegas hotel in 2009.
Ronaldo has always vehemently denied the allegations and has never been charged.
Mayorga reportedly reached an out-of-court settlement with Ronaldo in 2010, worth a reported $375,000 (£304,000).
In 2022, a US judge dismissed a lawsuit against Ronaldo brought by Mayorga, which could have seen the alleged payment increase by millions of dollars.
News
Discover the Hidden Health Benefits of Common Mallow: Nature’s Nutritional Gem (an)
Discover the Hidden Health Benefits of Common Mallow: Nature’s Nutritional Gem Common mallow, also known as Malva sylvestris, is often overlooked and dismissed as a mere weed. However,…
Boost Your Energy Like an 18-Year-Old with This Powerful Lemon and Honey Remedy (an)
Boost Your Energy Like an 18-Year-Old with This Powerful Lemon and Honey Remedy Introduction: Reclaim Your Youthful Energy Do you often find yourself wishing you could feel…
13 Health Benefits of Phyllanthus Niruri (Stonebreaker) (an)
Phyllanthus niruri, commonly known as Stonebreaker, Chanca Piedra, is a powerful medicinal herb widely used in traditional medicine. This plant is well-known for its liver-protective properties and its…
Yarrow: A Timeless Herbal Ally with Amazing Health Benefits (an)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), a perennial herb, has been revered for centuries as a medicinal plant with a wide array of health benefits. Its use dates back to…
Just 1 Leaf of This Plant Is Worth a Gold Mine – Euphorbia Hirta (Did You Know That?) (an)
Euphorbia hirta, commonly known as asthma weed or snake weed, may appear as an ordinary wild plant, but it is a true gold mine when it comes to its…
End of content
No more pages to load