Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo‘s future is uncertain as his record-breaking contract with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League nears its end. Should a contract extension not materialize, the legendary forward will become a free agent in the summer of 2025.
Former Manchester United teammate Wes Brown believes Ronaldo should emulate Lionel Messi’s move to the United States and potentially have one final chapter alongside his longtime rival.
Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami in 2023, after a similar contract situation, proved hugely successful. In 2024, he clinched the Supporters’ Shield and was named MVP. He’s currently contracted to the Florida club for another year.
Speaking to The Sports Daily, Brown stated, “Cristiano Ronaldo has to go to America, especially given that Lionel Messi is there as well. I’ve watched Ronaldo play a few times, and he’s been at a good level, he’s scoring goals and looking very fit for his age, still sprinting at 40. He wants to play for as long as he can, and he’s a player who can choose where he wants to play next. He’s not going to hang up his boots anytime soon and will continue to break records. He’s been to various places now, and I’d love to see him add America to the list. He’s been scoring more goals than Messi lately, and it would be great to see them face off again.”
Brown’s suggestion is fueled by Ronaldo’s remarkable goal-scoring form. While Messi netted 23 goals for Inter Miami across all competitions last season, Ronaldo scored an impressive 50 for Al-Nassr in 2023-24 and already has 16 in the current campaign.
Ronaldo’s ambition to extend his career beyond his 40th birthday on February 5th and reach 1,000 career goals further underlines his desire to continue playing at the highest level. His prolific goal-scoring ability makes him a highly desirable player, especially for a club looking to improve its attacking capabilities.
The prospect of Ronaldo and Messi playing together in MLS is undeniably enticing. Such a partnership would undoubtedly attract significant media attention, drawing huge interest from fans worldwide and potentially leading to unprecedented levels of commercial success for the league. This would generate an unmatched level of global media attention, raising the profile of the league and attracting more sponsors and investors.
