The Club World Cup has already bent plenty of rules, and should disrupt once again to bring a brash legend to the U.S. this summer
One of the stranger moments in American soccer happened last week. You'll be forgiven if you weren't watching. But there was iShowSpeed, YouTuber, internet personality, Cristiano Ronaldo enthusiast, and, somehow, a representative of soccer in the United States, sitting at his desk, streaming to millions.
He was up to his usual act of screaming, talking, and just sort of saying words in various orders that supposedly mean something to the kids these days.
And then he was interrupted by a bald-headed man, slick polo, nice fitting pants, shoes brandless and suspiciously clean. It was a supposedly impromptu appearance, Gianni Infantino walking in on Speed, who willingly stopped his stream mid game, stood up in a choreographed manner, and watched as the FIFA president reached the exact right spot, so he could be seen by the masses.
The usual stuff followed: a cool bro hug, an exchange of gifts, an excited introduction from Speed, and, finally, the hundredth unveiling of the Club World Cup trophy (because, of course a random man can show up to someone's house unannounced with a massive block of gold hidden underneath black cloth.)
After that the two talked about the Club World Cup. They covered all of the bases: number of teams, big names, how much of a spectacle the United States will be in store for this summer. But somewhere in the jumble of it all, Infantino came up with the most unexpected words he could have uttered: "Ronaldo might play for one of the teams as well."
Cue, Internet explosion. Surely this couldn't happen. Cristiano Ronaldo, under contract al Al-Nassr at the time, still under control of a club that wasn't playing in the tournament, could not simply show up to this thing, on loan at a random club, who haven't trained with him, haven't set up their squad for him, and cannot guarantee the same kind of generational wealth that his current club could?
Not a chance, even in a world of make believe, could this transpire.
Well, it turns out that it just might. Ronaldo's contract is up at the end of the month. There have been a smattering of reports of talks on an extension, but nothing official. Meanwhile, chatter about Ronaldo potentially joining a Club World Cup participating team has only grown louder. Another Saudi Pro League side is supposedly interested. He could also, apparently, represent a Moroccan team for a month.
But the logistics don't matter here. Reality doesn't really matter here. Reason is out of the window. The is showing up on YouTube to support this? There will be matches at the Club World Cup, yes, but it's somehow transformed into a marketing event.
And yes, Ronaldo, someway, somehow, in whatever manner possible, simply has to play this summer – whatever it takes from the relevant parties to make it happen.
Getty Images SportWhy it matters
In recent months, it has been hard to tell where the soccer ends and showbiz starts with the Club World Cup. Infantino, to his credit, has tapped into popular culture with ease – 90 minutes of league play boring and not enough for the kids? Let's get to them in other ways.
Everything, from the day he announced the host venues at a music festival in New York's Central Park has felt choreographed. The trophy is simultaneously wondrous and a visceral assault on the senses that requires a bejeweled key to open. The tournament has been pushed by a global tour of soccer superstars old and new. FIFA has made use of TikTok, Instagram, and now internet streaming.
Put another way: this is no longer a just soccer tournament. Now, it's just as much about America, stardom, and putting on a show, by whatever means possible. And to put on the best show, you need the biggest stars. That's why European clubs have been supposedly gently nudged by the threat of hefty fines to play the big guns.
It's why you will see Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and now – for the price of €10 million pocketed by Liverpool – Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Ronaldo, by extension, should be a no brainer. You could make an argument that he and Lionel Messi are not only the famous athletes on earth, but among the most famous people, period.
No one has more Instagram followers, or career goals, than the Portugal captain. A move to the Saudi Pro League hasn't seen his star decline. Rather, it has only seen kits fly off the shelves. Apparently there are massive Al-Nassr fans around the globe, from the muddy fields of Manchester to the tarmac-topped cages of Chinatown in New York.
There's a chance that most people who wear Al-Nassr kits couldn't name another Saudi Pro League club. But that doesn't matter – they know who Ronaldo is.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLionel Messi has made it happen
In part, Ronaldo can blame his biggest footballing rival for all of this. According to the criteria pieced together by FIFA, Inter Miami should technically not be in the Club World Cup. Their ranking coefficient is far lower than that of other MLS clubs. They have not won MLS Cup.
But last fall, FIFA saw its chance – after Miami won the Supporters' Shield, they suddenly became specially invited guests to the Club World Cup, information that Messi himself didn't seem to know what to do with.
Everything since then has felt like a reason to squeeze through a loophole. Transfers can't happen in time before the Club World Cup? No worries lads, here's a new transfer window where you can sign whoever you want. A Liga MX team ruled out to due multi-club ownership? Let's create a one-match play-in between two of the most marketable teams in North America.
At this point, what is one more disruption? Another slight shift in the footballing matrix? Of course, Ronaldo shouldn't be able to be moved before the end of his contract. But regulations are out of the window here.
Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGettyThe money maker
The merit in this depends on what you view Ronaldo as these days. Certainly, he can still play a bit. He was the Saudi Pro League's top scorer for two years in a row, remains in the Portugal squad, and is, famously, in the hunt to become the first soccer player ever to score 1,000 goals. He is currently at 936, and averaging around 25 per season in his Saudi stint.
At 40-years-old, another 64 would be a pipe dream for most. But Ronaldo is both a miraculously good athlete and an immensely selfish striker. If he has three years of professional football left in his legs – he probably does – then that mark is attainable.
More broadly, Ronaldo is a brand. He promotes pretty much everything. His social media, these days, is a slew of deals and personal promotions. A Ronaldo museum is soon to open in Hong Kong. He has a contract with Armani, personal cologne, and, of course, a bumper Nike contract.
More than 650 million people follow his wonderfully curated Instagram account. He now has a YouTube channel in which he doesn't really do much other than show the world how nice it must be to be Cristiano Ronaldo.
Right now, he has more fame and more money than he knows what to do with. There is no sense, here, of what post-football Cristiano will look like. The solution? Try everything.
And FIFA loves this sort of thing. Ronaldo, these days, exists in the realm of Post Malone, Mr Beast and other celebrities who are immensely famous, but – for many people – you're not quite sure what for. This is free interaction, free clicks, and, crucially, millions of fresh eyes. What do you do for a man unimaginably wealthy but lacking in direction? Give him something to compete for – and profit off it as a result.
GettyCristiano in the spotlight?
It's also vitally important to remember here, that Ronaldo loves the spotlight. He may be 40, past his best, and irrelevant in the scope of the Ballon d'Or race, but Ronaldo still oozes confidence. He is dripping in main character energy.
A couple years ago, Ronaldo was doing interviews telling the world why Man United had so brutally offended him by realizing that he was a liability. He was celebrating goals that weren't his at the World Cup. He still thinks that he makes Portugal's national team better, despite the fact that they have a wonderful crop of fresh talent, and, with a more fluid system, could be contenders in 2026.
Ronaldo doesn't care about that. He doesn't really care what you think, either. This is, of course, the duality of it all. Is it annoying to see him still try to keep himself in the picture? Of course. But that is his nature. Ronaldo's origin story is that of the ultimate competitor, the guy who was a really good athlete who trained himself to become of the greatest soccer players the world has ever seen.
He cannot stop, and likely won't until he is absolutely told he has to.
The Club World Cup, then, is another platform for him to radiate that energy, to prove, in some way, that he still belongs in the upper echelon, that he can kick it with Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and other world-class strikers. Ronaldo wants to show he can still compete? Here's the perfect setting for him to do it.