Image: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a goal REUTERS/Andrea Comas
(Reuters) – Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is open to the idea of one day playing in Major League Soccer, he said in an interview with GQ magazine.
The three times World Player of the Year told the magazine he does not follow MLS too closely but he has not ruled out adding his name to a growing list of high-profile talents that have moved to the United States in recent years.
“What’s happening there is great, it’s fantastic — maybe in the future will be a good chance for me to play there. You never know, but it’s something interesting,” the Portugal captain said in the February issue of GQ that will hit newsstands on Jan. 26.
“I consider it, of course, because as I’ve said, soccer there has become better and better, so why not? I think that this is maybe going to be possible.”
While since-retired David Beckham is arguably the biggest name to have played in MLS, his former England team mates Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, ex-Spain striker David Villa and Brazil’s Kaka are among the high-profile talents who have followed suit in recent years.
The addition of the 30-year-old Ronaldo would be a massive boost for MLS but any move before his contract with Real Madrid expires would require a massive transfer fee that would likely be out of reach for any U.S.-based club
“I know that many players move there. I think it’s becoming better and better,” said Ronaldo.
“It’s growing. I think it’s good. It’s good for me and young players that maybe one day we want to move there. So it’s good that football — ‘soccer’ — grows there.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; editing by Toby Davis)
Copyright 2015 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.
