It's a rumor, or pipe dream, that has gone on for years: the thought of Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the biggest star in soccer's history, finishing his career in Major League Soccer.
Ronaldo, and his longtime competitor Lionel Messi, have long been linked with a move to the U.S. For them, it would present one last stop of their career, and a chance to make boatloads of money while simultaneously raising their profile in the United States. It would also present them with the chance to join a list of trailblazers that include names like Pele and David Beckham.
But, at least thus far, Ronaldo has always been resistant. The Portuguese star has always stated his intentions of playing at the highest level, namely Europe, for as long as he possibly can. Ronaldo is obsessed with furthering his on-field legacy, and the best way for him to do that would be to continue to pour in goals while lifting more trophies.
However, as we head towards the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo's world is changing drastically. He's suddenly something of an afterthought at Erik ten Hag's Manchester United, despite scoring 24 goals in all competitions last season. He appears to be on his way out of Old Trafford, with his highly-publicized homecoming looking set to end with a whimper.
Should he leave, he'll have no shortage of suitors, one of which will be MLS, and it is more than likely that he continues on in European soccer. But is it possible he comes to MLS and, if it is, which clubs could he end up at?
GOAL takes a look at what a potential union between Ronaldo and MLS could look like:
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