CRISTIANO RONALDO and former UFC heavyweight champion Franci Ngannou jokingly went face-to-face after meeting in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The football icon, 37, completed a free transfer to Al-Nassr after having his contract at Manchester United ripped up following a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
In that sit-down chat, Ronaldo accused United of betrayal, while also claiming he does not respect the manager, Erik ten Hag.
A dismal World Cup campaign followed, which saw the five-time Ballon d’Or winner score just once and be benched by hotshot Goncalo Ramos for the knockout stages.
Portugal lost in the quarter-finals to Morocco, with Ronaldo departing the pitch in floods of tears.
Long-time rival Lionel Messi went on to captain Argentina to their third-ever World Cup.
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It didn’t stop Ronaldo from scoring two against Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week, though.
On Saturday, Ronaldo linked up with MMA free agent Ngannou, who left the UFC following a contract dispute.
The pair jokingly went face-to-face before hugging it out.
Ngannou, who is still recovering from injury after undergoing surgery to repair the ACL and MCL in his right knee last year, described 37-year-old Ronaldo as “inspirational”.
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He said on Twitter: “Great talking with the GOAT in Riyadh today. Very inspirational!”
Ronaldo is set to make his competitive Al-Nassr debut on Sunday against Ettifaq.
Ngannou, meanwhile, is mulling over a switch to boxing.
The Cameroonian got in the ring with Tyson Fury last year after the WBC heavyweight champ saw off Dillian Whyte inside Wembley.
The pair teased a fight and 2023 is the year it could happen.
Fury name-dropped Ngannou on Saturday.
Speaking to SecondsOut, Fury said: “Francis Ngannou, I know you’re out of contract with the UFC.
“Wanna earn some big boy money? Come see the Gypsy King.
“Let’s do a big, big fight for the baddest MF on the planet.
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“Let’s kick it up spicy, in a cage, four-ounce gloves, under Queensberry [boxing rules], and let’s have a badass referee like Iron Mike Tyson.
“Did I just sell that to the world?”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
