CELEBRITY
Cristiano Ronaldo tipped to become Man Utd manager ‘within 18 months’
Former Tottenham Hotspur boss, Tim Sherwood has tipped Cristiano Ronaldo to become Manchester United’s next manager ‘within 18 months.’
The 36-year-old has made a storming comeback to Old Trafford by scoring four goals in his first three games back with the Red Devils but Sherwood believes Ronaldo could soon be making his impact from the dugout.
Mirror reports that pressure is mounting on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after United crashed out of the League Cup in the third round to West Ham, an opportunity of a trophy squandered.
Having not lifted silverware during his tenure, Solskjaer is under more scrutiny then ever following the re-signing of Ronaldo, which came after Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane arrived for more than a combined £100 million.
Ronaldo has already shown glimpses of a desire to asset himself on the touchline, whether it be in the Euro 2016 final when he came off injured but stood by Fernando Santos, or when he stood next to his new boss at club level during their shock Champions League defeat to Young Boys last week.
“I can see Ronaldo as Manchester United manager within 18 months,” Sherwood told Ladbrokes a t its launch of the 5-A-Side bet on Arsenal vs Tottenham.
“I think it’s okay that Ronaldo’s on the touchline and Ole’s going to have to accept it. If he brings him to his football club you’ve got to know what you’re bringing in.
“It’s a completely different Ronaldo to the one who was at Old Trafford the first time around. He knows how he’s needed and if he feels like he needs to stand next to the manager and give instructions then you’ve got to let him do that,” the former Blackburn Rovers star noted.
Sherwood, however, hinted that a manager of a higher prestige – such as his predecessor- would not allow the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to be so prominent in the dugout while not playing.
“I’m not sure he’d be doing that with Jose Mourinho mind you, it would be very different with him still in charge,” the 52-year-old said. “But you’d also have to ask Ronaldo why he feels it’s necessary to stand up and give some instruction in the first place.
“We’ve seen him do it on the international stage, most recently at the Euros, barking out orders. That boy will be a manager 100%. I would have a bet on him being Manchester United manager in 18 months.”
Sherwood elaborated: “Whenever Ronaldo finishes playing I think he will become a manager, it will be an automatic choice.
“If they win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, any of those trophies, then Solskjaer keeps his job, but if they don’t win anything I think they’ve got a manager there in the making.
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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