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A 16-year-old Ronaldo made his professional debut with Cruzeiro
in 1993 before going on to become one of the greatest centre
forwards in footballing history.
Now a confident businessman with interests in soccer and sports
marketing, the former Real Madrid player paid 400 million reais
($70 million) on Saturday for a controlling stake nL1N2T30BN in
the Belo Horizonte club.
Cruzeiro are one of Brazil’s biggest teams but have been stuck
in the second division for two years and face a third season in
Serie B in 2022.
They are also deep in debt but Ronaldo asked fans who celebrated
his purchase to be patient.
“It’s time to return,” he wrote on Instagram. “It’s my turn to
try and open doors for the team. Not as a hero. Not with
superpowers to single-handedly change reality. But with immense
responsibility. With intelligent and sustainable management for
medium- and long-term growth."
“I don’t have all the answers to the questions that I ask myself
and I possibly won’t have all the answers to the questions that
you will ask me,” he wrote in an open letter to fans.
“What I do know is that the kid who learnt at Cruzeiro that
dreams can come true today makes me believe that it is possible
to rescue the club from its crisis.”
It is the second foray into management for Brazil's former PSV
Eindhoven, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Barcelona and Corinthians
striker. Ronaldo bought a 51% stake in Spanish club Real
Valladolid in 2018.
The Cruzeiro deal came just months after the Brazilian Congress
sanctioned a law that allows its football clubs, historically
fan owned and closed off to outside investors, to become
businesses.
Ronaldo pitched the transaction as the first of many he and his
advisors say could transform football in the South American
nation.
“We are starting a new chapter in the history of the club,” he
said. “I am coming back because I believe Cruzeiro can come
back. I'm returning to be part of change in Brazilian football.”
($1 = 5.6959 reais)
(Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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