Cristiano Ronaldo Comments on Possibly Playing for Barcelona, Manchester United

The thought of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo ever wearing a Barcelona kit is likely enough to send any Real Madrid supporter into a frenzy. So when Ronaldo largely dismissed the possibility of ever switching allegiances to the Catalan side—but didn't eliminate that possibility altogether—Los Blancos fans surely raised an eyebrow.  

Ronaldo opened up about the possibility of switching clubs in an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday (via Gill Clark of Goal.com):    

"

There are things that you kind of already have an idea, that to play one day for Barcelona would be almost impossible, or to play for another English club other than Manchester [United], it's very complicated. 

But that's not 100 percent guaranteed. As I said before, there are no certainties in football. Everything is open, all leagues. I may end my career here with Real Madrid. I'm just being honest. 

"

Ronaldo, 30, remains one of the world's most dynamic players. He's scored 10 goals and added 3 assists in 10 La Liga appearances while absolutely torching the group stage of the Champions League, notching a whopping 11 goals and three assists in six games. 

He's regularly linked to a return to Manchester United, where he blossomed into a superstar, and United manager Louis van Gaal admitted he would love to acquire the Portuguese forward.

"Ronaldo plays on the wings and he is fast and scores goals," he said in November, per Daniel Edwards of Goal.com. There is no trainer in the world that doesn’t like him. Of course we are looking—but we are looking at all players, not just Ronaldo. But these players are mostly ungettable. With Ronaldo, let's wait and hope."

Moving to his former club would be one thing. Moving to Barcelona would be something entirely different and transform him from one of Real Madrid's most decorated and beloved players to one of its most hated.

There is some precedent for players switching between the hated rivals, though it isn't common. Ballon d’Or winner Luis Figo infamously went from Barcelona to Real Madrid in July of 2000, ramping up an already-intense rivalry.

More than likely, however, Ronaldo is subtly reminding Real Madrid that his future with the club isn't guaranteed as leverage in any future contract talks. While Ronaldo very well may end up finishing his career with a club other than Real Madrid, it almost assuredly won't be with Barcelona.