Ronaldo moving to Vitória Guimarães

So, its year 2020.

Ronaldo, ends his contract with Madrid, and moves to Vitória Guimarães (Portuguese League).

Wage: €13,750/month

Apart from the unrealistic side of this transfer (in real life, never a player like Ronaldo would move to such a team, and such a wage), did you find in your saves moves like this one?

For example, in your saves where did end up players like Messi, Ronaldo, Aguero, etc?

How can you say a 35 yr old ronaldo would never move to a team like that?

In reality he may slow down considerably by the time he reaches that age.

In my save, all the players who have ridiculously large contracts, usually get released when they are old and then picked up by much smaller clubs. I'd expect the same when Messi and Ronaldo reach that age.

In my long term save Messi got released from Barcelona aged 34 I think, never played for anyone else as his wage demands were ludicrous

Im in the year 2025 in my save, ronaldo ended his career with sporting lisbon, messi retired with barecelona, rooney retired with man utd and aguero retired with rangers (me), of them all only messi never really dropped in wages.

In my long term save Messi got released from Barcelona aged 34 I think, never played for anyone else as his wage demands were ludicrous

I found him at Fulham as a 36 year old in my long term game

Signed him then hired him as a coach

I found him at Fulham as a 36 year old in my long term game

Signed him then hired him as a coach

mock me more why don't you

On my FM10, Romelu Lukaku's career went like this:

Anderlecht

Southampton (Me)

Real Madrid

Almeria

Norwich

Zulte Wagerem

Moved from Madrid to Almeria when he was about 33, staying for two years then one season at Norwich in the Championship, currently warming the bench back in Belgium at 36 with no plans to retire apparently. I find it interesting and sometimes funny to follow certain player's career paths, doesn't always have to follow perceived realism.

A 36 year old Robert Prosinecki formerly of Real Madrid and Barcelona moved to Portsmouth in 2001 and that was when we were in Div 1.

He was pretty decent in his prime too....

Joao Moutinho and Miguel Veloso moved to Leiria (me) at 32 and 33 before we'd even won anything of consequence.

I don't think that this is too far fetched. Consider the final days of Baggio who went to mid table at best Italian clubs in order to get the PT he wouldn't get at the likes of Inter or the American Kasey Keller, who was once considered on of the best GKers in the world and has since gone home to the USA and the Seattle Sounders to retire.

For my Velez team I signed Fazio, Zarate, Tevez and Mascherano in their twilight years.

George Best played for Hibs at the end of his career, Henrik Larsson played for Helsingborgs at the end of his career. It's not especially unrealistic.

I don't find the Ronaldo or Lukaku(especially) transfers unrealistic.

Wayne Rooney signed with Reading (me) after he got released from Man Utd. He's now a coach too!

In a lot of the cases mentioned players are moving to clubs in countries where they were born, pretty realistic if you ask me, especially if moving there will guarantee them playing time and the league is a decent standard. And you never know, Zulte Waregem (Lukaku) and Vitoria (Ronaldo) may have become strong domestic teams in the 10-15 year future.

Wayne Rooney is currently 38 years old and in the reserves with me at Yeovil. It's his 3rd year at the club (all in the Prem) and is retiring at the end of the season. He will then assume his role as coach.

He's been a great influence on the young strikers too!

Messi moved to Boca in my game. Not unrealistic at all, at that stage of his career. Didn't check his wage bill, though.

Ronaldo in Real's reserves at age 35, i tried signing him, but he wanted 230,000k a week!

i found it unrealistic for two reason:

1) the wages... i mean... from 1 million/month to 14000/month? just to big wage difference. What motivation could Ronald had to play for Guimarães? It's not one of his favourite clubs.

2) and this is the most important one... in real life... do you real think that Ronaldo would play, even at older age, at such a minor club? We all know the person... not even in Sporting Lisbon i think he would play. That just my opinion.

don't think its unrealistic at all. some players will move abroad for a final pay day, whereas some players will move to a smaller club for a lot less money than they have previously earned, partly because they are not as good, and partly because of ties to the club or country, and maybe for the simple answer, that they want an easy life.

lets face it, a player like ronaldo would hardly need the money

Ronald (Luís Nazário de Lima) went from huge wages at AC Milan to a lot lower wages in Corinthians at the age of 33. Dont understand why OP thinks this is unrealistic. Almost every single player does it.

It's not unrealistic in the slightest. He doesn't need the money and the chance to play 'back home' must be an incredibly rewarding way to end of long and successful career.

It happens to all sportsmen. After an injury the South African captain and one of the worlds best rugby players played for lowly Richmond to play a season with his brother before returning to the big time. There are loads and loads of examples of the exact same thing happening in football.

In my current career as Barca, Messi wanted 220k a week as a 34 year old back up player. I wanted to keep him but wasnt prepared to give him that sort of wage so had no choice in letting him leave at the end of his contract.

The annoying thing is that he signed for Boca on 12k a week! I have no problem with him signing for a smaller club but the wage disparity is just insane!

This has been a problem for years, players seemingly asking for more money when dealing with human managers.

I (as Enfield Town) Have signed some legends in their twilight years. Rooney while I was still in Championship, Bale on a free, still going at 37, although kak in the prem. But I just can't let him go! haha And Luka Modric, at 35 in championship. Who didnt cut the mustard (he totally would rule championship at that age).

All of these I could see happening (ok not Enfield Town though)

So yeah. It is realistic in my view that Ronaldo went to die in portugal.

Ronald (Luís Nazário de Lima) went from huge wages at AC Milan to a lot lower wages in Corinthians at the age of 33. Dont understand why OP thinks this is unrealistic. Almost every single player does it.

To Ronaldo, i just dont see it happens! As i said, i dont even see he returns to Sporting Lisbon.

For example, a couple years ago, Rui Costa leaves AC Milan, to end his career in Benfica. I found that normal because Rui Costa always state his love for the club.

In Ronaldo case... i think its more like he will end his career in some Saudi Arabic club!

But anyway, the porpuse of the post was to talk about the transfers of big players in the end of their career. If they are realistic or not... thats not the case here.

How do you know CRonaldo won't go to them when he is 35? I bet nobody predicted Henry would go to New York, or Beckham to LA.

Yes it's unlikely, but not impossible.

Bit of a surprising wage drop, but the move itself in the twilight of one's career is far less so.

I actually got Ronaldo in his twilight years on my Benfica save. I tried to get him on a pre-contract basis but he wanted his wages match with his Madrid wages ~200k, if I remember correctly, as soon as he was released by RM I was able to snap him up for a (relative) pittance p/w.

I can only imagine being a 'free agent' caused him to significantly lower his demands.

Aging Ronaldo worth what he was getting paid p/w by Madrid

Messi went to Wolves in my game, aged about 35.

Henrik Larsson went from man u and barca to Helsingborg in swedish first league. He's now coach in swed div 1 Realistic!

Messi went to Wolves in my game, aged about 35.

classic move

Any moves from older players to qatari or russian clubs for big wages?

Any moves from older players to qatari or russian clubs for big wages?

Good point! And for me it would be a much more logical move. Like Eto going to russian for a huge wage irl.

It makes more sence see Ronaldo or Messi doing that kind of move, rather joining small clubs, for small wages.

they must signed him to attract granny cougars fans in Vitoria from the bench.

I managed to sign Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba for Grimsby Town in my 5th season. In League One, they wanted ridiculously high wages considering the league I was in, but hey, it's Lampard and Drogba - I paid it and came 2nd in the league!

It is strange though, he will keep playing until 37.

I always though he will stop at 29, after his last drop of tears runs dry for crying every time he was touched gently by opposition player or everytime his team lost or everytime he feels he wanna to cry....

Good point! And for me it would be a much more logical move. Like Eto going to russian for a huge wage irl.

It makes more sence see Ronaldo or Messi doing that kind of move, rather joining small clubs, for small wages.

Well Eto'o isn't that old so by the time he gets to 35 i doubt the club he's about to move to would want to pay him that much. Also as some of the teams that have become very wealthy have only had it happen recently a number of them wouldn't have that much money in any fm 11 database.

David Silva signed for Cádiz (my club) in my save. They're in Spanish 2nd Division B4.

I actually got Ronaldo in his twilight years on my Benfica save. I tried to get him on a pre-contract basis but he wanted his wages match with his Madrid wages ~200k, if I remember correctly, as soon as he was released by RM I was able to snap him up for a (relative) pittance p/w.

I can only imagine being a 'free agent' caused him to significantly lower his demands.

Aging Ronaldo worth what he was getting paid p/w by Madrid

I notice in that picture he has a whopping 180 international caps, not bad eh !

I just checked out Harry Kewell in the FM12 demo. In his info it says something like: Career plans - Does not want to play in Europe. Can't recall seeing this before in player info. Clearly there is some code in the game where aging players are more likely to want to finish their careers back home, as Kewell and Emerton going to Oz this year. I suspect other personalities might rather get the big payday in Qatar or Russia.

Maybe it has something to do with his agent's attributes???

that's pretty normal. A lot of well known players moves to a lower club when their carreer is finishing...

That's one of the most realistic transfers I've seen.

He's 35, it's a team in his home country who are pretty decent to boot. He takes a massive pay cut. This happens all over the world of football. Rivaldo is 39 now and at Sao Paulo on loan from Mogi Mirim, one of his first clubs in Brazil. Incidentally, he's still banging them in; 13 goals in the 2011 season for SPFC.

So, its year 2020.

Ronaldo, ends his contract with Madrid, and moves to Vitória Guimarães (Portuguese League).

Wage: €13,750/month

Apart from the unrealistic side of this transfer (in real life, never a player like Ronaldo would move to such a team, and such a wage), did you find in your saves moves like this one?

For example, in your saves where did end up players like Messi, Ronaldo, Aguero, etc?

Well hes 35 moving back home i don't see whats so wrong, in my fm11 save he moved to villarreal

George Best played for Hibs at the end of his career, Henrik Larsson played for Helsingborgs at the end of his career. It's not especially unrealistic.

Best was like 27 when he went to hibs its because the drink got the better of him and utd got rid he then went to fulham then hibs and a few usa sides.

For my Velez team I signed Fazio, Zarate, Tevez and Mascherano in their twilight years.

Vélez are a big team though, as for C.Ronaldo to Vitória de Guimarães, Nuno Gomes is playing for Braga, for example, so depending on the circumstances that is not so unfeasible even if it's unlikely to happen.

Messi went to Wolves in my game, aged about 35.

Did Mick convert him to a left back?

Good point! And for me it would be a much more logical move. Like Eto going to russian for a huge wage irl.

It makes more sence see Ronaldo or Messi doing that kind of move, rather joining small clubs, for small wages.

More logical Eto'o going to Russia irl because he's only 30 and Ronaldo on that save is 35.

Before Gabriel "Batigol" retired I use to play him at Villareal (then fighting relegation) as a 49 year old Striker/coach with a pace of 2. Deadly still.

Fernando Hierro, Youri Djorkeaff, Vicent Candela, Jay Jay Okocha all played at Bolton.

The point is, the players know they are not going to get top wages, and essentially join a team to prolong their career and provide their experience to younger players

I can see what everyone here is saying but I do kind of agree with the OP, there is no way (At this moment in time) That CRonaldo would go anywhere other than money. There was an interview when he was out injured and he was in the L.A. and was asked whether he would consider a move to the Galaxy, and his reply was the famous "The future, no one knows" So like he says no one knows!