Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he holds a special admiration for Arsenal, despite never wearing the Gunners’ red and white jersey.
Speaking in a recent interview on The Piers Morgan Show, the Al-Nassr star disclosed that he was very close to joining Arsenal during his early days at Sporting CP, before Sir Alex Ferguson intervened to bring him to Manchester United in 2003.
“Honestly, when I look at Arsenal, I don’t see them as a rival; I almost ended up there,” Ronaldo said. “So I won’t say I have a passion for the club. But when I look at Arsenal, I like the team, and I like it when they win because of that history.”
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The five-time Ballon d’Or winner reflected on how fate shaped his career, acknowledging that life in football often comes down to timing and opportunity. “In life and in football, it’s all about opportunities and moments,” he added. “There was the chance to sign for Manchester United and I took it. But, to be honest, I was almost an Arsenal player.”
Ronaldo’s comments have reignited discussions among fans about how different football history could have been if the Portuguese superstar had joined Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal instead of Ferguson’s Manchester United.
While Arsenal supporters can only imagine what could have been, the mutual respect between Ronaldo and the London club highlights how great players often transcend traditional rivalries — and how close football’s biggest stories sometimes come to taking a very different turn.
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