Why did Ronaldo depart from Real Madrid to join Juventus in 2018?
In 2018, when he was at the peak of his career with Real Madrid, winning the Champions League for the third time in a row, superstar Cristiano Ronaldo made a surprising decision to move to Juventus.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the symbol of Real Madrid and one of the greatest players in football history, ʂuddenly left the club in 2018 to join Juventus. This decision shocked football fans and fans around the world, because CR7 had just experienced success with Los Blancos with 3 consecutive Champions League titles, along with his top scoring form. Many questions and speculations arose about the real reason behind his departure, was it simply to seek a new challenge or were there deeper factors that outsiders would find difficult to understand?
Ronaldo spent the best years of his career at Real Madrid, where he not only became the club’s all-time top scorer with 450 goals but also helped Real win four Champions League titles. He was the soul of the team, always knowing how to shine at decisive moments.
However, behind those glories was Ronaldo’s personal instability at the Royal team in his final years. In a 2018 interview with France Football, Ronaldo shared that he felt he was no longer appreciated by president Florentino Perez and the club’s board of directors as before.
The Spanish superstar said: “I felt that people at the club, especially the president, that I was no longer valued as much as when I started. For the first four or five years, I felt like Cristiano Ronaldo. Then less. The president looked at me in a way that implied that I was no longer irreplaceable, if you know what I mean. That’s what made me think about leaving.”
Another factor that led to Ronaldo’s decision to leave was financial. According to many reports, after winning the 2018 Champions League, Ronaldo asked for a pay rise to match his contributions, but Real Madrid refused. This disappointed him, especially when it was reported that the club was willing to spend a large sum to recruit Neymar from PSG, with a salary much higher than Ronaldo’s.
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon revealed that Ronaldo asked for a pay rise but was not granted, and this made him feel that he was not respected properly. Real Madrid’s reduction of the release clause from €1 billion to €100 million also shows that they are willing to let Ronaldo go, paving the way for a transfer to Juventus.
Although many believe that the salary issue is the main reason for the departure, Ronaldo denies this. He insists that the decision to move to Juventus is not about money, but because he wants a new challenge.
The former Man Utd star affirmed: “If it was all about money, I would have moved to China, where I could earn five times more than here (Juventus) or at Real. I didn’t come to Juventus for the money. I earn the same amount in Madrid, if not more.”
In addition, legal issues with the Spanish Tax Authority were also an important factor in Ronaldo’s decision to leave. Tax-related troubles had exhausted him and Juventus was seen as a safe solution, helping him stay away from unnecessary ʂƚress. In addition, with a strong and ambitious squad at Juventus at that time, it provided Ronaldo with an ideal destination to continue his peak career.
In short, Ronaldo’s move from Real Madrid to Juventus in 2018 was not only due to the desire to find a new challenge, but also due to emotional and possibly financial conflicts at his old club. Juventus, with its ambition and respect for Ronaldo, became the perfect choice for him to continue his glorious career.