- German giants linked with Portuguese star
- Opted against making an approach
- Focused on building a winning team
WHAT HAPPENED? The Bundesliga giants were among those linked with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner last summer, and again when he was released as a free agent by Manchester United in November 2022. No approach was made for Ronaldo, though, with Dortmund’s recruitment policy driven by current potential on the field – rather than previous exploits or millions of followers away from the pitch.
WHAT THEY SAID: BVB managing director Cramer has told kicker of the links to Ronaldo: “Basically, the value of Borussia Dortmund does not depend on social media followers. We are a football club, that's the key. We can have the best ideas in marketing, but if we lose 3-0 at home to Freiburg, it doesn't work. Even with the best brand presentation, the be-all and end-all is the product.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldo’s presence at Signal Iduna Park would have allowed Dortmund to bring in serious sponsorship income as he has 108 million followers on Twitter, 549 million on Instagram and 161 million on Facebook. The German giants are, however, looking to build much more than a brand, with results all that matter in the grand scheme of things.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT? With Dortmund among those to pass on the opportunity to acquire Ronaldo, the Portuguese superstar now finds himself in Saudi Arabia tied to the most lucrative contract in world football at Al-Nassr.