Marcelo Gallardo, the coach of River Plate, revealed that the club made multiple efforts to sign Cristiano Ronaldo prior to the 2025 Club World Cup. It is worth noting that Gallardo had previously coached Ronaldo during a friendly match between a Riyadh All-Stars team and Paris Saint-Germain in 2023. In an interview with ESPN, Gallardo mentioned that while the five-time Ballon d’Or winner considered the opportunity to join River Plate for the upcoming tournament, he ultimately declined to concentrate on the next season. In the middle of March, I casually mentioned to him via a mutual acquaintance: ‘I have a Club World Cup team in mind for a player like you, who has defined a whole era. Are you planning to participate in the tournament? He felt acknowledged and thought about it for a moment, but ultimately responded, ‘I need to get ready for the next season.’ I had the fortune of meeting him during a conference in Saudi Arabia to which I was invited. I encountered someone who was not just a skilled professional, but also a kind individual. “We established a friendship.”
