Cristiano Ronaldo set the record straight this week regarding his viral conversation with Tom Brady prior to the Buccaneers quarterback’s return to the NFL earlier this year.
Ronaldo and the then-retired Brady broke the internet back on March 12 after the Manchester United star asked him if he was finished with football following a victory over Tottenham. The following day, Brady announced he would return for 23rd season, leading many to speculate that the future Hall of Famer’s chat with a fellow GOAT on the Old Trafford pitch inspired him to come back.
Months after the theory made the rounds, Ronaldo publicly addressed the rumor and the conversation during a recent interview with Piers Morgan of The Sun. And while some fans may have hoped the legendary meeting ushered in one of the biggest returns in sports history, the 37-year-old admitted he couldn’t take any credit for Brady’s decision.
“Psychology, see. I’m a good psychologist,” Ronaldo joked when asked about the nature of the conversation. “I think he took the decision a few weeks before but it was good. … He’s a very, very smart guy, he knows a lot about fútbol. We had a nice conversation.”
Ronaldo telling Morgan he believed Brady made his mind up long before traveling to England seemingly ends what could have been a remarkable story for the ages if it lived up to people’s imagination.
Despite Ronaldo’s revelation, though, the two all-timers will still be forever linked by their bond and the dominant runs that defined their careers in their respective sports.
Up next for Ronaldo, who also admitted to Morgan he wants to play until he’s 40, is an opportunity to compete in Qatar next week for what is his fifth and, possibly, last World Cup appearance.
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