Sporting Lisbon chief would love to bring back Cristiano Ronaldo

Sporting Lisbon sports director Bruno de Carvalho revealed that he would love to bring back Cristiano Ronaldo to the club before he retires.

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Sporting Lisbon sports director Bruno de Carvalho would love a reunion between Cristiano Ronaldo and his boyhood club Sporting. Ronaldo was promoted from the sporing youth when he was 16 and played an entire league season of the Primeira Liga for Sporting before leaving for English giants Manchester United as an exciting 18-year-old prospect. Ronaldo would convince United to sign him after a pre-season game performance against the English side, which caught the eye of then-head coach Sir Alex Ferguson. The prospect would go from strength to strength and become one of the greatest of his generation and one of the greats of football.

Ronaldo has won 32 trophies in his career, including seven league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues (UCLs), a UEFA European Championship, and a UEFA Nations League (UNL). Ronaldo holds the records for most appearances (183), most goals (140), and assists (42) in the Champions League, most goals in the European Championship (14), most international goals by a male player (117), and most international appearances by a European male (189). He is one of the few players to have made over 1,100 professional career appearances and has scored over 800 official senior career goals for club and country.

As referenced by sports director Bruno de Carvalho, Ronaldo has repeatedly praised Sporting Lisbon. In his interview with Marca, the Sporting Lisbon sports director said, "I would undoubtedly love if Cristiano ended his career here at home. It would have been a dream if it had happened. He represents a lot for us, and it would be beautiful if he could end his career here. He is a world ambassador and always speaks well of us and how happy he is for us."