In case you hadn’t noticed, Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Juventus.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner left Real Madrid for Serie A in an initial €100-million deal last week that shook football, despite the distraction of the 2018 World Cup.
On Monday, Juve sporting director Fabio Paratici explained the wheels of the blockbuster transfer were set in motion by Ronaldo’s stunning bicycle kick at the home of the Italian champion in the Champions League quarter-final.
Paratici asserts the 33-year-old was so enamoured with the generous reaction of the Turin crowd that he was immediately attracted to a potential future with the Bianconeri.
“The crazy idea was born after the first match here, when Cristiano received the standing ovation after his bicycle kick,” Paratici said, as quoted by Gianluca Di Marzio. “During the week, we heard from his agent (Jorge Mendes), he told me that Cristiano was struck by all the attention he received. He said ‘he would like to come and play for Juventus one day.’ I told him, there are many dreams but few come true.”
Though it may still be scarcely believable to many, that dream is now a reality.
Ronaldo will play in Italy for the first time in his career next season in front of a fan base which, if the reaction at Juventus Stadium back in April is anything to go by, already fully appreciates his talents.
Cristiano Ronaldo actually did it. After plenty of speculation, Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer made the unlikely switch to Juventus on Tuesday, joining the Italian giant for a reported €100-million fee.
Related: Real Madrid confirms Ronaldo’s sensational transfer to Juventus
Twitter, naturally, had plenty to say about the move:
Terribly disappointing if the Ronaldo to Juve deal is made official today. Thought a man of his ambition would try to upstage the World Cup final rather than just settle for the semis.
— Paolo Bandini (@Paolo_Bandini) July 10, 2018
May 2018: Gianluigi Buffon leaves Juventus without a Champions League title
July 2018: Cristiano Ronaldo joins Juventus
Gianluigi Buffon: pic.twitter.com/z2q4afLmvq
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) July 10, 2018
??Make Serie A fabulous again ??
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) July 10, 2018
We already knew, but today the entire World will get to know:
Giuseppe Marotta. The Godfather of the Mercato. pic.twitter.com/FGfnvGsF6n
— Tarek Khatib (@ADP1113) July 10, 2018
This feels like a “can’t beat em, join em” crack at the Champions League from Juventus, and what the hell, it’s only a hundred million, why not? ?
— James Yorke (@jair1970) July 10, 2018
Ronaldo fans be like ? pic.twitter.com/9OP21jnoPN
— ItalianFootballTV (@IFTVofficial) July 10, 2018
#RonaldoAllaJuve pic.twitter.com/o2A5AVokI7
— UnderTheCosh ?? (@under_thecosh) July 10, 2018
First Me now @Cristiano ???? @SerieA_TIM is gonna be ??? ???
— Kevin-Prince Boateng (@KPBofficial) July 10, 2018
So Juventus have now signed the two best forwards of all time with Ian in their first name
— Tom Victor (@tomvictor) July 10, 2018
.@Cristiano, your goals, your numbers and everything we’ve won together speak for themselves. You have earned a special place in the history of @RealMadrid. As Madridistas we’ll remember you always. It’s been a pleasure to play alongside you, bicho. Big hig and good luck! ??? pic.twitter.com/NaywaDd3gw
Cristiano Ronaldo’s decision to leave Real Madrid has had an immediate impact on Champions League odds heading into the 2018-19 season, with the Spanish side dropping to third favourite for the crown, per the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.
Los Blancos are the three-time defending champion in the competition.
UEFA Champions League updated
Barcelona 5/1 Manchester City 6/1 Real Madrid 7/1 Bayern Munich 7/1 Juventus 7/1 PSG 8/1 Liverpool 12/1 Atletico Madrid 14/1 Manchester United 14/1 Tottenham 25/1 Borussia Dortmund 40/1 Napoli 40/1 Inter Milan 50/1 AS Roma 50/1 Valencia 60/1
— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) July 10, 2018
The Portuguese star’s €100-million transfer to Juventus leaves Barcelona as the betting favourite to win the big-eared trophy next season, with Manchester City hot on the Blaugrana’s tail.
Juve, meanwhile, is being tipped at 7/1 to win the title the club so desperately craves; the Bianconeri haven’t captured Europe’s marquee prize since 1996.
It’s safe to say Real Madrid got its money’s worth when Cristiano Ronaldo was acquired for a former world-record transfer fee back in 2009.
The Portuguese superstar, whose illustrious career in the Spanish capital ended Tuesday with confirmation of his lucrative transfer to Juventus, boosted the reputation he established in England with Manchester United by raising his standard to levels that few will ever come close to eclipsing at Real Madrid.
In under a decade, Ronaldo solidified his place as one of the greatest players to ever put on the famous all-white strip.
Toward the end of his Madrid career, Ronaldo’s goalscoring feats often resulted in the club’s revered scoring records falling, as greats such as Alfredo Di Stefano, Raul, Ferenc Puskas, Carlos Santillana, and Hugo Sanchez made way for another legend who will be remembered fondly for decades to come.
Here are seven of Ronaldo’s records that won’t be broken anytime soon:
Most goals, overall: Ronaldo didn’t just break the team’s all-time scoring record, he shattered it. What Raul accomplished in 16 years at Real Madrid, Ronaldo surpassed in just over five full seasons when he scored his 324th goal in October 2015 to break the legendary’s Spanish striker’s club record. By the end of the 2017-18 campaign, Ronaldo tallied an astounding 451 goals across all competitions.
Most goals scored in one season (all competitions): Despite Real Madrid’s lack of silverware, the 2014-15 campaign was one to remember, at least for Ronaldo. He scored a hat-trick on the final day of the season in a 7-3 win over Getafe to bring his total to 61 goals and best his mark from the 2011-12 season by one tally, ending the campaign with a scoring rate of approximately 1.13 goals per game
Most goals in one La Liga season: Ronaldo wrapped up the 2014-15 La Liga campaign in style by scoring three hat-tricks over the final four matches to finish with 48 goals. The total topped his previous record of 46 set one season prior.
Most Champions League goals: The drop-off on Real Madrid’s all-time Champions League goalscoring list is massive. Ronaldo’s penalty conversion against, of all teams, Juventus in the quarter-finals last season brought him to 105 overall in a Real shirt to put him 39 goals clear of Raul’s former record. Karim Benzema is the closest active player with 44 goals.
Most goals scored in one Champions League season: Ronaldo not only holds the record for goals scored in a single Champions League season, he occupies the top three spots. He came close to matching his record this past season with 15 goals, but the 17 he scored in 2013-14 will likely never be matched by another Madridista.
Most goals scored in one Champions League group stage: Ronaldo banged in four goals against Malmo in 2015 to set the mark for goals in the Champions League group stage. He became the first player to reach double figures before ending the opening phase of the tournament, with 11 goals in six matches.
Most career La Liga hat-tricks: It’s no secret that Ronaldo has a tendency to score in bunches. The evidence lies in his club record for domestic hat-tricks, as Ronaldo’s 34 games with at least three goals are 12 more than Di Stefano managed to record during his storied career.
