Man Utd flop slams 'GREEDY' Ronaldo

Tom Weber

Updated: 27 Jul 2023 15:32 BST
3 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Nassr, money — © ProShots

Former Manchester United and Al-Hilal striker Odion Ighalo has revealed that going to Saudi Arabia is all about the money despite what some footballers claim.

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The 34-year-old was recently released by Saudi giants Al-Hilal, who just launched a world-record offer for Kylian Mbappe after also being in talks with Lionel Messi and Harry Kane. Speaking about his time in Riyadh, the Nigerian has said out loud what everybody has been thinking in light of the rise of the Saudi Pro League: money talks.

Ighalo, who spent a year on loan at Manchester United in between stints in China and Saudi Arabia, made no secret of the fact that money is the driving force behind moving to Asia for most high-profile footballers regardless of their status.

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Last month, the Nigerian surprisingly pipped Cristiano Ronaldo to a spot in the Pro League team of the season and he claims even the Portuguese legend went to the Middle East for economic reasons and not to help grow the game there.

What did Ighalo say?

Speaking to OmaSportsTV, Ighalo said: "When you are young, yes, you play for passion. Back then, you don't care about money."

"But at my age," the 34-year-old continued, "I am in the final stretch of my career - I don't know if it will be one, two years or when God will tell me to stop, I know it won't be more than three years... - I've played for passion all my life, now it's for money."

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"I'm not one of those players who come and say: 'I play for passion'. Brother, it's money. At the end of the day, it's money. I see the people who are going to Arabia - great footballers."

"Is Ronaldo still playing out of passion? Ronaldo has earned 100 times more than I have in my entire life and yet he went to Saudi Arabia. Did he do that out of passion?" No, Ighalo concluded: "It's for money, bro!"