Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed he would not play in the upcoming Club World Cup on Saturday, dismissing rumours he was set to transfer to one of the participating clubs.
Ronaldo, who spoke ahead of Sunday’s Nations League final against Spain in Munich, said suggestions he was set to take part in the newly expanded competition were wide of the mark.
“I will not be at the Club World Cup,” the Portugal veteran said but added he had “been contacted” by several participating teams.
Ronaldo came into the Nations League in Germany amid doubts about his future at club level, with the veteran’s contract at Saudi side Al-Nassr set to expire at the end of June.
He encouraged Nigerians to be resilient and hold their governments accountable, reminding them that “the power is yours; it is not theirs.”
The former Real Madrid star said he was not interested in making a short-term decision that would allow him to play in the competition.
“Some teams reached out to me. Some made sense and others did not, but you can’t try and do everything; you can’t catch every ball.”
He added that the decision on his future was “almost final”.
