At 41 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo has no plans to slow down and hang up his boots. However, Ronaldo is being backed to have a future role at Manchester United by a former teammate.
Speaking to GOAL, Eric Djemba-Djemba predicted that Ronaldo could return at Old Trafford to become his former club’s Director of Football.
“I think director will be much better for him,” Djemba-Djemba said. “I cannot see Cristiano as a coach, because Cristiano is a man who, every time, he wants to go up, every time.”
The Cameroonian midfielder added that Ronaldo can’t be a manager because he gets upset very quickly.
“Being a coach will be difficult for him,” Djemba-Djemba added. “He becomes mad very, very fast! I can see him as a good director.”
GettyCristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League Final match between Manchester United and Chelsea at the Luzhniki Stadium on May 21, 2008 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Other former Man United teammates like Wes Brown, Danny Simpson and Quinton Fortune also predicted Ronaldo’s return at Old Trafford. Brown and Simpson can see him being part of the boardroom, while Fortune took it further by backing him to be a part-owner.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2 Stints at Manchester United
Back in 2003, an 18-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Sporting CP for around £12 million. Ronaldo took Old Trafford by storm, quickly becoming an important part of Sir Alex Ferguson‘s side.
Ronaldo spent six seasons at United, making a total of 292 appearances in all competitions and scoring 118 goals. He helped the Red Devils win three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two Football League Cups, one Community Shield, one Champions League title and one Club World Cup.
The Portugal legend also won his first Ballon d’Or while playing for United in 2008. He moved to Real Madrid a year later to become one of the greatest of all time.
GettyCristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United reacts during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 04, 2022 in Manchester, England.
At 36 years old, Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021 for a €15 million transfer fee paid to Juventus. His second stint lasted for just one and a half seasons, with the player leaving for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia in the middle of the 2022-23 campaign.
CR7 Set to Make History at 2026 World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo was named to Portugal’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It will be a record-breaking tournament for Ronaldo, who is set to play in his sixth World Cup, as per ESPN.
Ronaldo will become the first player in history to play in six World Cups. He could also break his record for being the only player to score in five different World Cups.
GettyCristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Portugal and Hungary at Estadio Jose Alvalade on October 14, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Here’s Portugal’s complete 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa and Rui Silva
Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, Joao Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Inacio, Renato Veiga, Ruben Dias and Tomas Araujo
Midfielders: Ruben Neves, Samu Costa, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva
Forwards: Joao Félix, Trincao, Francisco Conceiçao, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leao, Goncalo Guedes, Goncalo Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Future Manchester United Role Predicted by Former Teammate