Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7) left Real Madrid in 2018 after 9 seasons, primarily due to feeling undervalued by the club (especially President Florentino Pérez), broken salary renewal negotiations, lack of effective club support amid a Spanish tax controversy, and a desire to seek new challenges by transferring to Juventus.
Four Key Factors for Ronaldo’s Departure
Feeling Undervalued
This was one of the core incentives for Ronaldo’s departure, as he personally confirmed. In interviews, he clearly stated that in the later stages of his tenure at Real Madrid, especially in the eyes of President Florentino Pérez, he felt he was no longer an “indispensable” member of the club, and the initial sense of being valued gradually faded. This perception did not arise suddenly but accumulated over several years; even after helping Real Madrid achieve the historic feat of three consecutive Champions League titles in 2018, this sense of alienation was not alleviated. More importantly, when he had not yet confirmed his stay, the club frequently was linked with young superstars such as Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, making him feel that his loyalty had not received the due respect.
Salary and Renewal Disputes
In the later stages of his time at Real Madrid, Ronaldo proposed a renewal request to increase his annual salary to €30 million, but this demand was not met. At that time, his annual salary at Real Madrid was approximately €21 million, which was not only far lower than Lionel Messi’s €50 million at Barcelona but also less than Neymar’s €37 million after transferring to Paris Saint-Germain. Real Madrid was more inclined to control salary space and invest funds in signing young talents rather than satisfying the high salary demands of a 33-year-old player. There were even reports that Real Madrid was willing to sell Ronaldo for around €100 million, on the condition that he was not sold to specific competitors. At the end of 2017, Ronaldo rejected Real Madrid’s proposed “incentivized renewal package” (salary linked to trophies and individual honors), and the renewal negotiations between the two parties completely reached a deadlock.
Tax Controversy as a Catalyst
Since 2017, Ronaldo has been accused by Spanish tax authorities of hiding image rights income through overseas shell companies from 2011 to 2014, evading taxes of up to €14.75 million. Unlike Barcelona, which provided legal support to Messi when he faced similar tax issues, Real Madrid did not offer effective assistance to Ronaldo during his tax controversy, making him feel that the club could not protect him in times of crisis . To focus on the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, Ronaldo finally reached an agreement with Spanish tax authorities in June 2018, paying a total of €19 million in back taxes and fines, and receiving a 2-year suspended sentence (no actual imprisonment required). This nearly year-long dispute made Ronaldo resistant to the Spanish environment and eager to cut ties, while Italy’s tax policy (new incoming players only need to pay symbolic taxes on overseas income) also attracted him.
Seeking New Challenges
During his 9 seasons at Real Madrid, Ronaldo helped the team win 15 trophies including 4 Champions League titles (including three consecutive) and 2 La Liga titles, scoring 451 goals personally and becoming Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer. His “Real Madrid cycle” in his career was almost complete. He mentioned in interviews that he felt his career had stagnated at that time and needed a new environment and motivation. At this time, Juventus extended an olive branch to him, not only meeting his annual salary requirement of €30 million but also allowing him to play in Serie A, a league with a different competitive style, to compete for the Champions League title (Juventus had lost to Real Madrid many times before and hoped to fulfill their dream by signing Ronaldo). Even after reaching a consensus on leaving with Real Madrid, Ronaldo rejected Florentino Pérez’s retention because he had already promised Juventus.
Complete Timeline of Ronaldo’s Departure (2017-2018)
| Date | Key Event |
| September 2017 | Spanish tax authorities officially sued Ronaldo for tax evasion; Real Madrid clearly stated it would not intervene to assist, and Ronaldo first had the idea of leaving |
| December 2017 | Ronaldo rejected Real Madrid’s incentivized renewal package (salary linked to trophies), and renewal negotiations broke down |
| May 26, 2018 | Ronaldo helped Real Madrid beat Liverpool to win three consecutive Champions League titles and first hinted at possible departure in the post-match interview |
| June 9, 2018 | Ronaldo reached a settlement with Spanish tax authorities and promised to pay €19 million in back taxes and fines |
| July 10, 2018 | Real Madrid officially announced Ronaldo’s departure; he joined Juventus in Serie A with a transfer fee of €100 million |
| July 16, 2018 | Ronaldo made his official debut at Juventus’ home stadium, attracting 40,000 fans on site |
| July 28, 2018 | Spanish prosecutors confirmed that Ronaldo had completed tax payment, and the 2-year suspended sentence took effect without imprisonment |
Why Choose Juventus? What Was the Impact After Departure?
Core Reasons for Choosing Juventus
In addition to meeting salary requirements and competitive challenges, Juventus’ sincerity and its own needs were also important factors. At that time, Juventus had won seven consecutive Serie A titles, with a solid dominant position in the domestic league, and its core goal was to compete for the Champions League title. As the all-time top scorer in the Champions League, Ronaldo was exactly the “championship puzzle” they urgently needed. In addition, the Fiat Group behind Juventus provided financial support for the signing, which could bear Ronaldo’s high salary costs. It is worth mentioning that in the 2018 Champions League quarter-finals, Ronaldo scored a bicycle kick goal at Juventus’ home stadium, winning applause from all Juventus fans, which also made him have a good impression of Juventus. From a personal perspective, Italy’s tax policy was more favorable to him, and his after-tax income was much higher than that in Spain.
Two-Way Impact of the Departure on Real Madrid and Ronaldo
For Real Madrid, Ronaldo’s departure marked the end of the “Galáctico 2.0” era. The team initially fell into a goal drought, failing to reach the Champions League final for three consecutive seasons until winning the title again in 2022. For Juventus, Ronaldo’s joining significantly improved the team’s visibility and commercial value. After the signing news was announced, Juventus’ stock price soared sharply, and jersey sales surged in the short term. For Ronaldo personally, he played for Juventus for 3 seasons, winning 2 Serie A titles and 1 Italian Super Cup title. Although he failed to help the team win the Champions League, he still maintained an efficient scoring rate personally. Later, he moved to Manchester United and Al Nassr, continuing to extend the glory of his career.
Conclusion
Ronaldo’s departure from Real Madrid was not caused by a single factor, but by the superposition of multiple factors: “feeling undervalued + salary disputes + tax controversy + seeking new challenges”. This transfer was not only an important turning point in his personal career but also had a profound impact on the pattern of European football. Judging from reports from authoritative sources and subsequent developments, this decision was the result of balancing the demands of all parties at that time, which was neither right nor wrong, but a normal phenomenon in the development of professional football.