Cristiano Ronaldo has indicated that he will not participate in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, delivering a blow to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s hopes of featuring one of the sport’s biggest names in the tournament.
The 40-year-old Portugal forward confirmed on Saturday that several participating clubs had approached him with offers to play in the tournament, which kicks off on June 14. However, he has chosen not to accept any of them.
“I’ve had quite a few invitations to go,” Ronaldo said. “But some things make sense to talk about, others don’t. As someone once said, you can’t take part in everything.”
He explained that his decision was based on long-term considerations. “You have to think about the short, medium, and long term. It’s a decision practically made on my part not to go to the Club World Cup.”
Ronaldo made these remarks while in Munich, speaking a day before Portugal’s UEFA Nations League final against Spain. He had helped his national team reach the final by scoring his 137th international goal in a 2–1 semifinal win over Germany.
When initially asked about the Club World Cup, Ronaldo brushed off the topic. “This is irrelevant right now,” he said. “It makes no sense to talk about anything other than the national team.”
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