Cristiano Ronaldo has no regrets over his comments in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph alluding to a summer exit.
The Portugal international has now won five European trophies in his career but used Madrid’s title celebrations to drop a major bombshell about his future at the club.
Ronaldo has spent the last nine years at Madrid and has previously used suggestions he could leave the club as a bargaining tool to get a bumper new deal.
However, the 33-year-old, who is coming towards the final chapter of his career, insists his latest comments are not motivated by money and a decision on his future will be made before the 2018 World Cup.
“I spoke when I shouldn’t have done but something is going to happen,” Sky Sports quote Ronaldo as saying. “It wasn’t the right time, but I was honest.
“In a week I’ll say something because the fans have always supported me and are in my heart. I don’t speak much, but when I speak, I speak.
“Obviously I have something to say, but it wasn’t the right time, although I don’t regret it because I was honest. I’ve kept putting up with this but then I couldn’t control myself.
“This has been coming for a long time. Money is not the problem. I’ve won five Champions Leagues, five Ballon D’Ors. I was already in history but now even more.
“I’m not bothered because I know what I give to this club. I don’t want to erase this unique moment with my team-mates who are real champions.”
Ronaldo has been heavily linked with a sensational return to Manchester United in the past, but that ship looks to have sailed.
The veteran forward has now won as many European trophies as Barcelona, Liverpool and Bayern Munich (5), while only Madrid legend Paco Gento has managed more (6).
Not only that, but the Madrid No.7 finished the campaign as the top scorer in the Champions League for a record seventh time in his career, netting 15 goals on this occasion.
