Why Pep Guardiola Turned Down Cristiano Ronaldo at Man City
Pep Guardiola had the chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester City, but turned him down because he didn’t think he fit into his system at the Etihad, according to reports. The Portuguese star is one of the greatest footballers of all time and has performed at a world-class level throughout the majority of his career
Whether it was for Manchester United, Real Madrid or Juventus, Ronaldo dominated on the pitch and has found success pretty much anywhere he’s gone. These days, he can be found in Saudi Arabia, where he’s thriving with Al-Nassr. The veteran forward joined the Saudi Pro League club in late 2022 after an ill-fated second stint at the Red Devils. He’s since averaged a goal nearly every game for Al-Nassr, but before he joined the side, he reportedly offered himself to Man City.
Under Guardiola, the club have summited the very peaks of English and European football. They became the first team in Premier League history to win four straight titles and Ronaldo wanted to get in on the action. The Catalan manager, however, ultimately turned down the chance to bring him into the fold.
A book covering Guardiola’s time at City was published in 2024, and it revealed some interesting stories from his time in England. One such tale is the fact that he had the chance to sign Ronaldo on a free transfer once he left Old Trafford, but he turned him away. As reported by the Daily Mail, the reason behind the manager’s decision was that he didn’t think the icon would fit well in his system at the Etihad.
Eyebrows would have been raised by the United faithful if one of their greatest-ever players moved to City, but he was open to the idea and would have pulled on the sky-blue shirt if Guardiola was interested. Having built an intricate system at the Etihad, with his squad all buying into his philosophy, the former Barcelona manager didn’t want to risk upsettingthe apple cart by adding a figure like Ronaldo. Considering the success he’s seen at the Etihad, it’s hard not to trust his judgement.
