'I know Cristiano Ronaldo well from Man Utd – we'd all love a reunion with Lionel Messi'

One of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo’s erstwhile Manchester United team-mates has urged the guardant to reunite with long-time rival and chap world-beater, Lionel Messi

Former Manchester United and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre has urged Cristiano Ronaldo to articulation chap superstar and rival Lionel Messi retired successful the MLS.

Since playing alongside Silvestre betwixt 2003 and 2008 during his archetypal stint astatine Old Trafford, Ronaldo has gone from a comparatively chartless teen to 1 of the sport’s top players, scoring implicit 900 vocation goals and claiming a immense database of silverware.

The Portuguese left his erstwhile employers for a 2nd clip successful November 2022 in the aftermath of an infamously lambasting interrogation fixed to Piers Morgan, and landed successful the Saudi Pro-League with Al Nassr - with whom helium broke the league's single-season scoring record.

Yet, arsenic improbable arsenic it would be, Silvestre admitted that helium and galore shot fans would emotion to spot Ronaldo look disconnected against the antheral who often steals the rubric of being the sport’s greatest, Messi, erstwhile again successful the US, arsenic they antecedently did for years successful La Liga astatine Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.

“It would beryllium astonishing to spot Cristiano Ronaldo competing against Lionel Messi successful the MLS, it would beryllium a imagination for shot fans,” Silvestre admitted to Norskebettingsider.

“However, I deliberation helium is blessed successful Saudi and is the look of the league retired there. He is besides inactive playing for Portugal. Maybe aft the World Cup, he’ll determine to marque a alteration successful what mightiness beryllium the past transportation of his career."

Defender Silvestre played alongside Ronaldo for 5 seasons earlier the Frenchman jumped vessel to Premier League rivals Arsenal. He played 43 times for the Gunners implicit 2 years and, aft a stint with Werder Bremen, recovered himself playing successful America with Portland Timbers.

Ronaldo and Silvestre shared the transportation connected 138 occasions astatine Old Trafford, assisting 1 different for 1 extremity apiece and lifting a Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup rubric arsenic team-mates.

Despite Silvestre playing conscionable 8 games successful the MLS, helium feels it would beryllium the perfect adjacent destination for Ronaldo, and rekindling a rivalry with Messi would beryllium groundbreaking.

The chances of Ronaldo leaving the Saudi Pro League, however, are incredibly slim. At 39, the forward's declaration volition expire midway done 2025, but helium has hinted helium would beryllium unfastened to extending it until 2027.

Previous comments suggest that Ronaldo would besides privation to discontinue astatine his existent club, arsenic helium told NOW: “I don’t cognize if I volition discontinue soon, successful 2 oregon 3 years, but astir apt I volition discontinue present astatine Al Nassr.”

With a basal wage of £60million, little taxes, luxury villas and cars, and the assorted perks that travel with being the look of a division, Ronaldo seems firmly grounded successful Saudi Arabia.

On the different hand, his adjacent Messi seems conscionable arsenic settled successful the US. His overmuch little basal wage of astir £16m is bolstered by revenue-sharing agreements with Apple TV and Adidas, further marque ambassadorial roles, and the enactment to acquisition an MLS franchise successful the future, overmuch similar the proprietor of his existent side, Inter Miami, David Beckham, received arsenic portion of his LA Galaxy deal.

The Argentinian’s declaration expires successful December 2025, but helium has hinted astatine his last nine being successful Miami, saying earlier this year: "As of today, it [Inter Miami] is gonna beryllium my past 1 [club]."

While it remains adjacent intolerable that the 2 volition clash successful their respective leagues ever again, arsenic Silvestre stated, the anticipation remains that they could spell head-to-head astatine the 2026 World Cup should stars align, arsenic neither has ruled retired playing successful the tourney to date.

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