What Will Cristiano Ronaldo Do When He Folds His Career?
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the world’s most recognisable soccer players, but his career is surely ending.
He has spent the last year or so back at the club with which he made his name, Manchester United. They signed him from Juventus, where he won a Serie A title, but there’s little chance of a trophy at United. Despite hitting 24 goals in 38 outings last season, he’s out of favor with manager Erik ten Hag, which could spell the end of his second stint in England. There could be a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia in the offing, or he could hang up his boots and concentrate on life post-soccer.
If he does decide to call time on his playing career, what could come next for CR7? We look at some of the options.
Acting
Soccer players going into acting is not new; Pele appeared in Escape to Victory, and more recently, Neymar had a cameo role in the Spanish series Money Heist. Ronaldo has expressed his desire to act, saying, “I hope I live more than 50 years to learn new things and face different challenges and try to find solutions. One of the things that I seek to challenge myself in, for example, is acting in a movie.” It seems that experience, or a lack of it, was no barrier for Pele, Neymar, or the likes of Eric Cantona, and Ronaldo’s dream of acting could well come true.
Poker Player
Poker is something big stars often get into after playing. It allows them to experience the tension they got in their sport without the physical demands on their body. Neymar (again) is already a face around poker tables, whilst former England striker Teddy Sheringham made a nice career out of it after he retired. Ronaldo is already one of several top athletes who play poker, acting as a brand ambassador for one provider, and it is something he could pursue more seriously when his career ends.
University
Becoming a mature student is normal these days, but could CR7 soon up the ante on campus with a rucksack, swatting up for a test? It’s possible; he’s spoken in the past of his desire to learn new skills once he concludes his soccer career. “I always seek to educate myself, because my studies tend to answer many of the questions on my mind,” he said. “We have to learn the best of others, and this is an important part of helping me achieve what I have reached now.” He wouldn’t be alone; Shaka Hislop interned at NASA before earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering, whilst Juan Mata earned two degrees from Madrid’s Universidad Camilo Jose Cela during his career; one in Marketing and one in Sports Science.
Continue His Business Interests
CR7 is a brand. Ronaldo is an athlete, but his brand is fashion, fragrances, hotels, and other ventures. He has a great team behind him and a face that sells, much like David Beckham. Could Ronaldo remain in business, expanding his empire? Could he, like Beckham, even look at buying a football club? It’s not unusual for former players to pop up in consortiums that own clubs, and with Ronaldo’s profile, there wouldn’t be a shortage of clubs wanting him on board. Aligned with his other interests, he could double down on his already thriving business empire.