European Press Kicks Off Your "Cristiano Ronaldo to Miami" Rumors

When Cristiano Ronaldo spent his Christmas holiday in Miami and popped up at a Miami Heat game, local fans couldn't help but fantasize about the idea of the Portuguese soccer superstar someday playing for David Beckham's Major League soccer team in Miami. It was, at the time, the stuff of what basically amounts to Twitter fan fiction. 

Well, on cue, the European press is upgrading those dreams from fan wish to rumor status with some anonymous sources supposedly close to Ronaldo claiming that he wants to someday live in Miami. 

The reports first surfaced in Correio da Manhã, a Portugues tabloid based in Lisbon that Wikipedia notes is known for its focus on "crime, scandals and attention-grabbing headlines." It is the best-selling paper in Portugal. 

 "In the future he wants to live in Miami," an unnamed source told the paper, according to a Translation from The Sun, a British tabloid. "It’s his favourite city and where he feels at home, much more so than in Madrid, England or even Madeira." 

"It has all the luxuries he could ever want." 

Sure, from that angle, it makes sense. 

His favorite hobbies appear to include being tan, wearing sunglasses, collecting brightly colored swim trunks, and sitting by pools. These are all things that are very conducive to a life of luxury in Miami. 

The report leaves open speculation about whether Ronaldo might just prefer having a part-time residence in Miami once he eventually retires. Though it mentions that Beckham, who was briefly a teammate of Ronaldo's during his stint with Real Madrid, would be very open to bringing him to the team. 

The report was then picked up by American outlets like CBS Sports. 

Ronaldo's contract with Real Madrid runs through 2020. Under the best case scenario, Beckham's Miami MLS team could begin play during the 2017-18 season. 

Before you get too excited though, remember that these reports are coming from European tabloids, a class of sensational newspapers that even bewilders the American press. Think something like In Touch or Star, except with a focus that extends beyond celebs into sports and politics, and often with a mixed record of accuracy. 

To put that in perspective, earlier this week, The Mirror, another British tabloid, reported that Ronaldo was only in Miami to find a surrogate to carry a second child. 

Ronaldo, who is unmarried, has one son who was born in America. Some reports suggest the son was born in Miami. Ronaldo has never publicly revealed who the mother is. 

So, basically, nobody knows why he was really here. Well, besides the confirmed fact that naturally a good part of that time was spent sitting by a pool.