Cristiano Ronaldo Showed Up at the Heat Game Last Night, and Miamians Couldn't Help but Get a Little Hopeful

Soccer superstar Cristian Ronaldo is in Miami to celebrate the holidays. Why? Well look at him. He looks like the kind of guy who should spend his entire life sitting by a South Beach hotel pool. But when he showed up to last night's Miami Heat game, Miami sports fans...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

December 23, 2015

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "19274298",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17482312",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482310",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482313",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is in Miami to celebrate the holidays. Why? Well, look at him. He looks like the kind of guy who should spend his entire life sitting by a South Beach hotel pool. But when he showed up to last night's Miami Heat game, Miami sports fans couldn't help be a little hopeful that it meant something.

Ronaldo certainly got a warm welcome at the American Airlines Arena. Heat player and soccer fan Luol Deng greeted the superstar at halftime.

@Cristiano with deng while watching Miami Heat game tonight. @LuolDeng9 @MiamiHEAT @NBA #CristianoRonaldo pic.twitter.com/c3Mi9oAOsa
— Virik jariwala (@virik_rmcf_7) December 23, 2015

The team also presented him with a custom Heat jersey.

Cristiano Ronaldo with his own NBA Miami Heat Jersey. pic.twitter.com/0zglXcteXL
— TheCRonaldoFan (@TheCRonaldoFan) December 23, 2015

He even got a lap dance and a kiss from Miami Heat mascot Burnie.

VIDEO : A kiss from Burnie, Miami Heat mascot, for Cristiano. [via @SocialRMadridFr] pic.twitter.com/H809zyHcMX
— SocialRMadrid (@SocialRMadrid) December 23, 2015

Of course, David Beckham's plans to bring a Major League Soccer team back to Miami are now finally cemented after he announced the building of a stadium in Overtown.

Some Miami sports fans couldn't help but be hopeful that perhaps Ronaldo's visit was a bit more than just the good weather.

Cristiano Ronaldo is in Miami: let the inevitable MLS rumours begin... pic.twitter.com/mzfQaMHulB
— Bob Williams (@WilliamsBob75) December 23, 2015

I am going to irresponsibly read into this as "Cristiano Ronaldo to David Beckham's Miami MLS franchise." #MLSMiami https://t.co/ojtUDXN2w5
— Faisal (@faisalsikdar) December 23, 2015

Cristiano to MLS confirmed. https://t.co/Kit93Aniof
— Pogboom (@Nihooo1897) December 23, 2015

Future Miami MLS star Cristiano Ronaldo is at this Heat-Pistons game...
— Pedro Ortiz (@PFOrtiz11) December 23, 2015

Ronaldo's contract with Real Madrid runs through 2018, and speculation about where he'll end up next is a favorite parlor game of soccer fans. Earlier this year, Sports Illustrated ran an item suggesting Ronaldo may be interested in coming to America, with his preferred destinations being either New York, L.A., or Miami.

In an interview with the Associated Press earlier this month, Ronaldo says he hasn't ruled out anything, but isn't actually super keen on the idea of moving to America.

"Right now I don't see myself playing in the American league, but that's right now," he said.

Though, he added, "In two or three years I may think differently."

Beckham and his business group haven't been shy about the idea of bringing superstar international talent to Miami when his team finally starts playing.

Just earlier this week, Beckham was openly talking about the idea of bringing Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the 305.

"If Ibrahimovic is still active, then I want to buy him right away. He is a magnificent physical specimen, so it's entirely possible,” Beckham said in an interview with the European press. "Who does not want a man who is prepared to kill to win?"

Some European sports tabloids have teased the idea of Beckham targeting Ronaldo, but Beckham himself hasn't commented on those rumors.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Miami New Times has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.