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Cristiano Ronaldo's former teammate Jose Fonte has expressed his desire for the Portuguese superstar to return to Sporting Club de Portugal before the end of his career. The pair began their careers with the Lisbon-based side before the legendary forward moved to Manchester United.
In a recent interview with Premier League Betting (via GOAL), the Portuguese defender stated how impactful Ronaldo's return to Sporting could be. He said:
"Make no mistake, for Portugal for Sporting and for all football fans in Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo’s return would be the ultimate dream. He would elevate the league, bring in more money, bring in more investment, unfortunately, it’s not up to us."
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"We would love to have him here. It's up to him. But who knows? Only he can answer that question. But for us here in Portugal, it would be an absolute dream to have someone like him return to Sporting and to Portugal. What a great story it would be."
Jose Fonte and Cristiano Ronaldo helped Portugal win its first major international trophy in Euro 2016. The pair played 40 games for the national team and combined for two goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Sporting legacy
Cristiano Ronaldo is, arguably, the greatest Portuguese player of all time and he began his professional career with Lisbon-based side Sporting in 1998 when he joined their youth teams. The legendary forward came through the ranks to represent the senior side in 2002 and he quickly established himself as one of the brightest prospects.
Ronaldo played just 1392 minutes across 31 appearances for the side, scoring five times and providing six assists. He left the club in the summer of 2003 to join Manchester United in a reported €19 million deal.
The legendary forward has not played in Portugal since he left Sporting over two decades ago, but has faced his boyhood club four times in the UEFA Champions League. He has won all four games against them, scoring three times and providing two assists.
