Published 18:04 IST, January 31st 2020
Liverpool ignored a young Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004 because of dressing room issues
Liverpool's then manager, Houllier, feared that Ronaldo's high salary demands would impact the team's wage structure. Keep reading for more.
Cristiano Ronaldo became a worldwide superstar while playing for Manchester United. He made a name for himself during his Sporting Lisbon days. Sir Alex Ferguson signed the 18-year-old on August 12, 2003. The rest, as they say, is history. Cristiano Ronaldo went on to win five Ballon d'Ors, five Champions League trophies, six domestic titles and scored over 700 goals. He captained Portugal to their Euro 2016 glory. His stint at Manchester United was the cornerstone of Ronaldo's glorifying career but things could have taken a different turn.
Liverpool were very close to signing Cristiano Ronaldo
Liverpool were also in the race to sign the young prospect. Liverpool considered signing Ronaldo that time. However, they called off the move as they feared that his signing could have caused problems in the dressing room. Liverpool's then manager - Gerard Houllier - feared that Ronaldo's high salary demands would impact Liverpool's entire wage structure. It could upset other players. Another reason Liverpool hesitated to sign Ronaldo was because they believed that they already had teenage forwards like Florent Sinama Pongolle and Anthony Le Tallec.
It surely was a decision-making howler from Liverpool's management as Ronaldo went on to change the game of football. Ronaldo, during his Sporting days, expressed that Liverpool is his dream team. "Liverpool are one of the best clubs in England and it would be a dream for any player to represent a club of such traditions," he told reporters at the time. Things might have been different if Ronaldo played with Steven Gerrard. All said and done, things have probably turned out for the best for Ronaldo. He has had a glorious career consisting of five Ballon d'Or trophies.
Updated 18:04 IST, January 31st 2020