Cristiano Ronaldo makes surprise Real Madrid return for training session - report

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H match between Korea Republic and Portugal at Education City Stadium on December 2, 2022 in Al Rayyan, Qatar.
(Image credit: James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo is training alone at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas base as he looks for a new club, according to reports in Spain.

The 37-year-old’s Manchester United contract was terminated last month in the wake of an explosive interview where he criticised the club and manager Erik ten Hag. 

Since then, Ronaldo has been occupied on international duty with Portugal at World Cup 2022, but their elimination to Morocco in the quarter-finals means his search for a club will now begin in earnest. 

A report in Relevo says that Ronaldo ‘stopped by’ at Real Madrid’s training ground to do some work on his own as he looks to keep in shape.

Ronaldo represented the Spanish giants for nine years and is their all-time top scorer, but his arrival to take a pitch for personal use came as a surprise to some at the club.

The 37-year-old trained alone, separately from Carlo Ancelotti and his squad, and a reunion looks unlikely despite the good relations between player and club.

Ronaldo is said to have been accompanied by a personal trainer and his son for his session.

He has been linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, although Ronaldo dismissed rumours that a deal was done while he was in Qatar. 

Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.