Cristiano Ronaldo did receive an offer from River Plate
Marcelo Gallardo acknowledged that they sought Cristiano Ronaldo in March. The River Plate coach revealed the reasons for CR7’s rejection
The 2025 Club World Cup has caught the attention of everyone. South American teams have been big supporters of the tournament. Among them is River Plate, an Argentine team that could have benefited from Cristiano Ronaldo’s reinforcement.
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Without a doubt, Marcelo Gallardo revealed that the Millonarios team was close to completing one of the most curious transfers in the history of football. Cristiano Ronaldo had the opportunity to play for an Argentine club before Lionel Messi himself.
The River Plate strategist acknowledged that the club’s approaches to Cristiano Ronaldo were real. CR7's contract with Al Nassr ends soon and the Millonarios sought to sign him, at least, for the 2025 Club World Cup.
“It was in mid-March, an informal contact through a mutual friend. I said: Hey, there’s a Club World Cup and a player like you, who marked an era... Do you intend to play in it?” Gallardo said in a press conference.
The 40-year-old forward had the opportunity to participate in his fifth FIFA Club World Cup. However, CR7 preferred to focus on his physical condition during these moments of rest before starting the 2025/2026 season.
“He told us that he had to prepare for next season. If he was interested, he was interested, haha ??(…) It was informal (the approach), but he made it his responsibility to make it public and say it himself,” Gallardo added.
Tigres goes for a “Millionaire”
In recent weeks there has been talk of the possibility of Miguel Angel Borja changing teams in the coming weeks. The River Plate forward’s contract with the club ends in December of this year. Reports indicate that the player has reached an agreement with Tigres of the UANL of the Liga MX. Marcelo Gallardo did not go into detail about Borja’s status, but assured that he is clear about his future.
“With Borja, I have things clear inside. My message is clear. Speculation from outside doesn’t matter, Behind closed doors, they know it (…) It’s difficult for a footballer these days; you’re always subject to the opinions of others. There’s no way to measure what’s said; it’s often very aggressive; it’s all unreal,” said Marcelo Gallardo.