Chapter 129: Internet Crashes
The footballing world had been set ablaze. Just days after parting ways with their former coach, Manchester United remained the most talked-about club on the planet. The dust hadn’t even settled on their managerial shake-up when they sent shockwaves through the sport yet again. Earlier today, they made their first major move—appointing Ajax’s brilliant mastermind, Erik ten Hag, a serial winner, as their new head coach.
That alone was news big enough to dominate headlines for weeks. But before the footballing world could even digest it, Manchester United shook the foundations of the sport once more.
A breaking story, almost too surreal to believe.
Manchester United were considering a move for their old legend.
Not just any legend. The last man to win a Ballon d’Or for Manchester United. The last player to bring that golden trophy back to the Premier League. A player whose name was etched into footballing history. A man who wasn’t just a superstar but an era-defining phenomenon.
The goal machine himself—Cristiano Ronaldo.
There are very few names in the world that carry weight, names that resonate whether you follow their field or not. Names so powerful that even those with no connection to the sport know them.
Cristiano Ronaldo was one of those names.
You can know football and not know its rules. You can know football and not know every player. But you cannot know football and not know Ronaldo.
In fact, you could know Ronaldo and not even know football—that’s how big he was.
And now, his name was being linked with one of the biggest clubs in England, one of the biggest clubs in the world. But this wasn’t just any big club. It wasn’t just another transfer rumor.