What Cristiano Ronaldo thought about joining Rangers and Celtic as Portuguese icon returns to Glasgow

He’s one of the globe’s biggest sporting names - but could Cristiano Ronaldo have pitched up at Rangers or Celtic in the not so distant past?

Through time with Real Madrid, Man Utd, the Portuguese national team and others, CR7 has made himself a football icon with a trophy haul most can only dream of, and an eye-popping goal tally. He is in Glasgow tonight with Portugal as the Al Nassr star prepares to face Scotland on Nations League business at Hampden.

It’s not the first time Ronaldo has been in Glasgow, having faced off against Celtic in the Champions League with Man Utd. But could he have been in the Hoops or blue of Rangers prior to leaving his second spell at Old Trafford?

Before his controversial exit, Ronaldo sat down with Piers Morgan for an explosive interview about how his relationship with the Red Devils had collapsed. Morgan appeared on talkSPORT in 2023 and was quizzed on Ronaldo’s transfer thoughts, with an interesting Glasgow quirk.

She asked: “Can I give you a quick scenario? If the Scottish Premiership had the money that the Saudis do, would you have the same opinion if Ronaldo went to play there?”

That sparked a surprise reaction, that Ronaldo WOULD have considered Rangers or Celtic, as they could offer the Champions League action he craved. Instead, he has spent the last couple of seasons in the Saudi Pro League.

Morgan said: “Ronaldo would have gone anywhere that had Champions League football. I know for a fact because he repeatedly told me what he really wanted to do was extend his Champions League career.

"He has most of the records in the Champions League and he wants to extend them, probably so that Messi can’t catch him and that he ends up as the GOAT of Champions League football. That was his motivating factor. I do believe that he’s driven more by records and legacy than he is by money.