Corinthians or Cruzeiro? Ronaldo sits on the fence over SAF question | OneFootball

Ronaldo Fenômeno was once again questioned about his ties with Corinthians and Cruzeiro, clubs that marked his career both on and off the field, right on the eve of a clash between the two in the semifinals of the Copa do Brasil. And, once again, he chose not to pick a side.

“That's a good one, but I’m going to root for both. In these kinds of matchups, it really is very difficult for me. I’m not going to get off the fence, I have huge affection for Corinthians and also a very big, huge affection for Cruzeiro as well. May the best team win,” said the former striker during the inauguration of Casa Rede Ronaldo, a new space for sports, music, and entertainment in São Paulo.

The stance is symbolic: Ronaldo began his professional career precisely with Cruzeiro, the club where he later took over the management of the SAF. Under the former player’s leadership, Raposa emerged from a severe financial crisis, secured immediate promotion to Série A in 2022, and began to restructure itself administratively.

His tenure came to an end in April 2024, when the former number 9 sold his stake to businessman Pedro Lourenço, in a transition celebrated with a “mission accomplished” speech.

Corinthians SAF?

Ronaldo played for Timão between 2009 and 2011, winning the Copa do Brasil and Paulista titles and becoming an idol for a generation. In Wednesday’s interview, the Phenomenon once again pointed to the creation of a SAF as the way to modernize the club’s management. Previously, the star mentioned he would be the first to apply in a possible purchase of the club’s football division.

“It's not that I changed my mind (about buying the SAF). I think one way out for Corinthians is for the fans and members to understand that the best path is the creation of a SAF. It’s about professionalizing football within Corinthians. That would be the main message when I say I would be a potential buyer,” he emphasized.

Despite this, Ronaldo made a point of ruling out any chance of getting directly involved in a possible purchase.

“Today my desire is zero to be inside football, much less to invest my money in any adventure within football. Of course, I’ll always be following Corinthians with the greatest affection in the world, because after all, I am a Corinthians fan and I really hope Corinthians finds its way back to success, always competing for titles,” he concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.