Cristiano Ronaldo could have been one of the biggest stars at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with Rayados de Monterrey, but the deal never materialized. While there was real interest and money wasn’t an issue, the club ultimately decided not to move forward for one key reason.

Was Cristiano Ronaldo Really an Option for Rayados?

In the weeks leading up to the tournament, rumors strongly linked the Portuguese superstar with several clubs looking to strengthen their squads for the Club World Cup. Among those, Monterrey stood out especially with Sergio Ramos already on the team, a former teammate of Ronaldo at Real Madrid.

The idea of seeing both legends donning the Rayados jersey sparked excitement among fans, but in the end, it remained just a dream.

The Reason Behind the Decision

Journalist Willie González revealed on RG La Deportiva the real reason why Monterrey chose not to sign Cristiano Ronaldo even though finances were not an obstacle.

“They didn’t want to make the move just to avoid setting a bad precedent of making an out-of-the-ordinary expense. They had the money, Sergio Ramos was the connection, and he could’ve convinced Cristiano. But it came down to common sense: they weren’t going to spend a million dollars on hyperbaric chambers and then drop $20 million for four matches with Cristiano,” González explained.

He went on to say that the decision reflects the club’s sensibility, despite being backed by a very powerful financial group:

“We’re talking about an organization that’s ultra-mega-wealthy, where you just press a button and the money comes in to buy whatever is needed,” he added.

A Luxury That Almost Happened

There no doubt it would have been thrilling to watch Cristiano Ronaldo at the Club World Cup wearing Rayados’ colors, reunited with Sergio Ramos and bringing back memories of their golden years at Real Madrid. But the Monterrey board chose financial prudence and a few million dollars stood in the way of one of the tournament’s most headline grabbing moves.