Which club did Cristiano Ronaldo join in 2018?
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In 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the biggest stars in world football, made a historic decision in his career: to leave Real Madrid after nine seasons and join Juventus in Turin. The transfer, made official on July 10, 2018, surprised the sporting world and marked a turning point for both the player and the two clubs involved.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who arrived at Real Madrid in 2009 from Manchester United, had enjoyed an exceptional career with the club. With the Madrid club, he won four Champions Leagues (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), two Spanish championships, and several other national and international trophies. Individually, he scored 450 goals in 438 games, a historic record for the club, and won four of his five Ballon d’Or awards during this period.
After winning the Champions League for the third consecutive time in May 2018 with Real Madrid, Ronaldo hinted at the trophy ceremony that his future might lie elsewhere. A few weeks later, his transfer to Juventus was confirmed for a fee of around €100 million, a considerable sum for a player then aged 33.
The choice of Juventus was not insignificant. The Italian club, a historic giant of Serie A, had dominated the national championship for several years, but was looking to strengthen its European status in the Champions League. Ronaldo’s arrival was intended to help the club achieve this goal, while generating considerable media and commercial impact. The effect was immediate: jersey sales skyrocketed, season ticket sales increased, and Juventus’ global audience expanded considerably.
On the field, Cristiano Ronaldo quickly adapted to the Italian style of play, which is more tactical and defensive than that of La Liga. In his first season (2018-2019), he scored 21 league goals and played a major role in Juventus’ eighth consecutive Serie A title. In the Champions League, he scored a memorable hat trick against Atlético Madrid in the round of 16, turning around a difficult situation after a 2-0 defeat in the first leg.
However, despite his individual performances, Juventus failed to win the Champions League during his time there. Nevertheless, Ronaldo continued to rack up accolades, becoming the first player to score at least 10 goals in the Champions League with three different clubs (Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus).
His time at Juventus between 2018 and 2021 saw him win two Serie A titles, one Italian Cup, and two Italian Super Cups. He also finished as the top scorer in the Italian league during the 2020–2021 season with 29 goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer in 2018 symbolizes several aspects of his career: his ambition to take on new challenges, his ability to adapt to different leagues, and his immense influence, both in terms of sport and marketing. For Juventus, it was a unique opportunity to attract a player of Ronaldo’s caliber, capable of capturing the attention of millions of fans around the world.
In 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid to join Juventus Turin, marking a new stage in his exceptional career. This change illustrates both his desire to continue to surpass himself and his unique status in the history of soccer, where few players have shone with such consistency in three major European leagues.
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Which club did Cristiano Ronaldo join in 2018?
Answer
In 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid to join Juventus Turin, signing a four-year contract with the Italian club.