While there is no concrete plan for his future after finishing his career, it is clear that Cristiano Ronaldo’s professional football journey is slowly nearing its end. A former teammate of him at Manchester United has suggested him as a potential future manager, comparing him to Zinedine Zidane and Diego Simeone.
The 39-year-old Portuguese forward remains highly effective in terms of statistics. Playing for the Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, CR7 scored 50 goals last season, and then donned the Portugal jersey to represent his nation in the UEFA Euro 2024 held in Germany.
However, as his football career approaches its twilight, many wonder about the future of one of the greatest players in history. Some link him to more executive roles, others suggest he might take a break from the football world, while some have even dared to propose him as a potential manager.
Such is the case with his former Manchester United teammate, French forward Louis Saha, who has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo would make an excellent football manager after his retirement.
Manchester United goalscorers, Louis Saha (L) and Ronaldo celebrate after Saha had scored the secod goal for United during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Birmingham City and Manchester United at St Andrews on April 10, 2004 in Birmingham, England.
In an interview with CSDB.gg, former who played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in the early 2000s at Manchester United, stated without hesitation: “Cristiano Ronaldo has the ability to be a very successful manager, we’ve seen his energy and his passion.”
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Zidane, Simeone and CR7’s influences
Continuing on why the Portuguese forward would make an excellent football manager, Saha didn’t hesitate to mention the numerous great mentors CR7 has had throughout his career.
“He’d have the desire of Diego Simeone and the credibility of Zinedine Zidane. That combination as well as all his experience of working under Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti as well as Sir Alex Ferguson, the knowledge he would bring is crazy. It’s not just about football but he represents so much in terms of how you should conduct yourself and go about achieving your goals, he could be a manager, a club president. It’s admirable what he has done, he’s a human being that makes mistakes like anybody but he has never stopped working hard.”
Head Coach, Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid speaks with Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid during a Real Madrid training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final against Club Atletico de Madrid at Estadio da Luz on May 23, 2014 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Saha’s reflection on Ronaldo’s remarkable career
While Saha proposed his former teammate as a potential football manager, he assured that Ronaldo does not need to stay involved in football once his retirement is confirmed.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has proven everything he needs to prove, he has no obligation to do anything else now – he has done it all. He is the best ambassador of sport in general, I haven’t seen any athlete in the world who has sacrificed as much as he has. Some will call him obsessed or crazy but he is the greatest to ever do it. I respect the player and the man and not just because I played with him, it doesn’t matter where he ends up retiring because of what he has done in the game.”
What’s next for CR7?
The Portuguese forward still has one year left on his contract with Al Nassr, and his future beyond that remains uncertain.
Although he remains more active than ever despite his age, one possible option could be to end his career on a high note at Sporting Lisbon, the Portuguese club where he first rose to prominence.
