Why Bayern & Dortmund rejected chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo: Revealed

The centre-forward was eager to remain in Europe before joining Saudi club Al-Nassr.

Before the Portuguese legend arrived at Al-Nassr, both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich rejected the opportunity to sign Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo dreamed of extending his career in Europe when his contract with Manchester United was terminated due to a disagreement with the club. In 2022, he made approaches to both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

Jorge Mendes aggressively marketed the Portuguese player to Bayern Munich executives, creating a unique dossier that emphasised the marketing, merchandising, and worldwide reach that CR7 would provide, according to Christian Falk’s book Transfer Insider, which was published by Bild.

Bayern’s then-CEO Oliver Kahn later acknowledged that the talks happened, and BVB apparently got the same presentation. Despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability, both German teams chose not to pursue a move.

Erik ten Hag’s rocky tenure at Old Trafford coincided with the 40-year-old’s desire to stay in Europe. The Bavarians gave signing him significant thought, but worries soon surfaced because club executives thought the Portuguese forward’s superstar status might negatively impact the dressing room and the wage structure.

At €24 million (£20 million/$26 million) annually, Robert Lewandowski was Bayern’s highest-paid player. The former Real Madrid player was earning about €29 million (£24 million/$32 million) at United and apparently desired a comparable salary.

Dortmund came to the same conclusion, determining that the financial and athletic risks exceeded the projected promotional promises by Mendes.

Mendes reveals Bayern & Dortmund’s decision to turn down signing Ronaldo

Both teams’ rejections demonstrated how Europe’s top clubs were hesitant to sacrifice long-term harmony and team spirit to garner short-term international attention.

Mendes reportedly told Bayern: “It would be a dream for Ronaldo to continue his career at FC Bayern.”

Even after every attempt and demonstration, Oliver Kahn and Bayern’s ex-sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic stated Ronaldo wasn’t a good fit for the club’s philosophy: “We came to the conclusion that, despite all the appreciation we all have, he wouldn’t have fit in with our philosophy in the current situation. ”

Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund rejected Mendes’ proposal directly, with worries about any financial benefit for the Bundesliga club.

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