Agent reveals former Lazio president turned down the chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo

Lazio turned down the chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in the early years of his career, according to agent Alessandro Moggi.

Lazio approached by Jorge Mendes
President did not want to sign him
Ronaldo went on to become global hero

WHAT HAPPENED? Lazio were approached by the forward's agent Jorge Mendes and given the opportunity to land the attacker, but the president at the time decided against pursuing the Portugal star, saying instead that they would have gone for Brazil icon Ronaldo if he was up for sale.

WHAT THEY SAID: Moggi told Calciomercato: "Mendes was a good friend of [ex-sporting director Gianmarco] Calleri , we proposed Cristiano to [then-president Sergio] Cragnotti, but he answered that he didn’t want him, that he would have wanted the ‘real’ Ronaldo, so there wasn’t even a negotiation."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Although Lazio won Serie A and the European Cup Winners' Cup during Cragnotti's time in charge, he may have ended up regretting refusing to sign the now-iconic attacker. Ronaldo went on to win five Ballons d'Or, as well as five Champions League crowns and domestic titles with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus before moving to Al-Nassr. Lazio, meanwhile, have not won the Serie A title since 2002.

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