May 29, 2025 - Cristiano Ronaldo posted a message on social media after playing his last match of the season for Al Nassr, writing:

“This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to everyone.”

Since then, fans have been asking the same question: Where will Ronaldo go next?

Rumours have been going around for days that Ronaldo might leave Al Nassr at the end of the season. The main reason? Al Nassr failed to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States starting in June.

Some reports, quoting people close to Ronaldo, say that the 40-year-old star wants to join a club that will play in the Club World Cup.

Clubs Interested in Ronaldo?

At first, another Saudi club, Al Hilal - Al Nassr's city rival - was being taken in this context. Then, the names of Brazilian club Botafogo and Moroccan club Wydad Athletic Club came up.

Now, a new name has been added - Monterrey, a Mexican club. Spanish sports daily AS reports that Monterrey is very interested in signing Ronaldo, even if it's just for a short-term deal (one month).

All four clubs - Al Hilal, Botafogo, Wydad and Monterrey - have already qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup.

Monterrey Leading the Race... Why?

According to football stats site Transfermarkt, Monterrey currently has the best chance to sign Ronaldo:

Monterrey: 34%

Botafogo: 30%

Two big reasons are behind this: They can afford Ronaldo's salary. And Sergio Ramos plays for Monterrey.

Monterrey is owned by Femsa, a giant Mexican company that is the world’s largest cola bottler. They have enough money to match Ronaldo’s financial demands.

More importantly, Ronaldo’s old teammate from Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos, is now at Monterrey. According to Marca, Ramos is personally trying to convince Ronaldo to join.

What Can Monterrey Offer Ronaldo?

AS reports that Monterrey can’t offer the luxury Ronaldo gets at Al Nassr, but they are ready to give him performance-based bonuses.

So far, nothing official has been announced by the club.

Why Is Botafogo Falling Behind?

is owned by John Textor, an American businessman who also owns Crystal Palace (England), Olympique Lyonnais (France) and RWD Molenbeek (Belgium).

But Textor is currently facing financial pressure owing to issues at Lyon. That’s why he may not be willing to pay Ronaldo a huge salary.

Botafogo’s coach, Renato Paiva, recently said: “If a star like him wants to come, you can’t say no. Coaches always want the best players.”

Still, the final decision lies with the club owners.

Can Ronaldo Join a New Club Before June 30?

Ronaldo’s contract with Al Nassr ends on June 30, but the FIFA Club World Cup begins on June 14. So how can he join a new team before his contract ends?

FIFA has already solved this. The 32 teams playing in the Club World Cup have been given special transfer permission from June 1 to 10. This means any Club World Cup team can sign Ronaldo without paying a transfer fee, since Al Nassr has no remaining matches this season.