Cristiano Ronaldo has suggested that Real Madrid should offer him a 10-year contract to ensure he sees out his career at the Spanish club.
“If I were the president of Real Madrid, I would give myself a 10-year contract,” Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer, now 31, told reporters after scoring on his return from injury in a 5-2 La Liga win over promoted CA Osasuna.
Ronaldo’s current contract runs out in 2018.
Photo: AFP
“Right now, I’m not thinking about anything else in my career, all I want is to retire at Real. This is the biggest club in the world and it should have the best players,” the Portuguese star said.
Ronaldo also hit back at old adversary and former Barcelona great Xavi for suggesting that Lionel Messi was a better player.
“Xavi never won the Ballon d’Or, I have three,” Ronaldo said, referring to the FIFA award for the World Player of the Year.
Xavi told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser on Wednesday last week that there was “no comparison” between Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or five times, and Ronaldo.
“Cristiano’s problem is that there’s another player in his era who is the best of all time,” Xavi added.
Xavi is seeing out the final years of a glittering career at Qatari club Al Sadd. He won eight La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues with Barcelona, as well as two European Championships and the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Spain.
Ronaldo, who had been out of action for two months with a knee injury, won the Ballon d’Or in 2008, 2013 and 2014, and is favorite for another this year after winning the Champions League with Real and Euro 2016 with Portugal.
He played 65 minutes against Osasuna, his first appearance since injuring his knee in the Euro 2016 final.
“I felt good physically, I could have played for 90 minutes without any problems, but in some moments I played with a little fear, but that’s normal after not playing for so long,” Ronaldo said. “I’m fit again and got back in the swing of things, and I scored a goal, so it was perfect.”
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