Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he was once close to joining FC Barcelona, which could have changed football history by making him Lionel Messi’s teammate instead of his rival.
Back in 2003, Ronaldo was a rising star at Sporting CP, attracting interest from top European clubs. Among them was Barcelona, but the Spanish giants hesitated to finalize a deal. Meanwhile, Manchester United, led by Sir Alex Ferguson, acted quickly and secured his signature after an impressive performance in a friendly match.
At the same time, Barcelona had just signed Ronaldinho, prioritizing the Brazilian playmaker after selling David Beckham to Real Madrid. This decision meant they missed out on Ronaldo, who eventually moved to Real Madrid in 2009, setting up a legendary rivalry with Messi that would dominate football for over a decade.
Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Ronaldo confirmed in an interview that he had talks with Barcelona representatives but ultimately chose Manchester United because they moved faster. Had the transfer gone through, football’s biggest rivalry—and the GOAT debate—might have never existed.
