How Ronaldo's La Liga ownership foray turned sour in Real Valladolid

"Everything has been lies and negligence from almost the first day," fumed Real Valladolid fan Daniel Mozo, a 53-year-old electrician. "Better for him to leave, carry on with his life and leave us in peace," he told 'AFP' outside the club's Jose Zorrilla stadium before its final La Liga game for at least a year.

Former striker Ronaldo, 48, became majority shareholder at Valladolid in 2018, vowing to take the modest club to Europe within five years. A stellar playing career - crowned by two Ballon d'Or trophies, two World Cups and silverware at Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan - had fans dreaming of glory.

But far from sprinkling stardust, his tenure saw the team yo-yo between La Liga and Spain's second tier before he finally agreed to relinquish control. After relegations in 2021 and 2023, this season Valladolid have endured one of the most abject campaigns in Spanish top-flight history, bottom with 29 defeats and 87 goals conceded with one game to play.

"This year has been a disgrace... we thought he would be the president to do something for us, and what he has done is make a fool of himself," said supporter Sergio Gutierrez. "He thought that, because he was Ronaldo, this would go upwards. He believed that without doing anything, he would win everything - but in the end, nothing," added Gutierrez, a 44-year-old driver.

According to an indignant Maria del Carmen de las Fuentes, a 66-year-old retiree, Ronaldo "has done nothing - not even fix the toilets". "I have never seen Real Valladolid as I have this year... We have seen games that made you feel like going onto the pitch and giving them all (the players) a kick in the balls."

'Ronaldo, go home!'

Beyond the dire results, Ronaldo became a toxic figure among fans for rarely attending games and involving himself little in day-to-day affairs. Their frustration was exacerbated by recent images published in Spanish media of a seemingly tipsy Ronaldo stumbling out of a Madrid restaurant late at night and slumping into a car.

Earlier this month, the federation of supporters' clubs submitted a petition to Valladolid town hall demanding that Ronaldo be symbolically declared persona non grata in the city northwest of Madrid. At a home game against Barcelona on May 3, fans protested the relegation by tossing around the stands fake banknotes bearing his face and the words "Ronaldo go home".

The fury had not relented in the final home match of the season - a 1-0 defeat against struggling Alaves on May 18. Dozens of spectators unfurled "Ronaldo Go Home" banners on the many empty seats, and the entire ground bellowed the slogan during a hydration break.

Sale agreed

Ronaldo's chequered record in football administration saw him become, in 2021, the majority shareholder of his first club, Cruzeiro, which then achieved promotion to the Brazilian top flight. But he has since sold his stake and launched an unsuccessful bid to head the Brazilian football confederation.

Valladolid announced on Friday that Ronaldo was transferring his shares to a North American investment group with the financial backing of a European fund. For Valladolid supporter Andrea Merino, "anything about Ronaldo leaving is good news, all the empty words he sold when he came have ended up being empty words".

Fans want someone "who gets down to work, feels the club and does not leave us in the lurch like Ronaldo", the 25-year-old journalist told 'AFP'. Rocio Mozo, a 40-year-old technical assistant, agreed Ronaldo had lost everyone's confidence and hoped for a new owner "committed to the city, the club, someone who is interested, who is here".

Responding to a question by 'AFP' after the Alaves loss, manager Alvaro Rubio - Valladolid's third this campaign - preferred not to discuss the administrative upheaval. "The ultimate responsibility is mine" for the failure on the pitch, he said.