Pele, Banks warn Ronaldo over Real deal
Monday, 14 July 2008
LONDON, July 13 (AFP): Football legends Pele and Gordon Banks both warned Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo against walking out on Champions League winners Manchester United and moving to Spanish giants Real Madrid Saturday.
The 23-year-old forward has still four years remaining on his contract with United - with whom he also won the Premiership last season - and both Pele and Banks ridiculed both his and FIFA president Sepp Blatter's claims that he was being treated like a "slave".
"You are a slave if you work without a contract or you don't get paid," said 67-year-old Pele, who was in Stoke, central England, to unveil a statue dedicated to Banks and for a charity match for the former England goalkeeper's charity foundation.
"If you have a contract then in any job you have to finish the contract.
"I think that when he finishes his contract, then he should be free to go wherever he wants to go."
Ronaldo, who bowed out of Euro 2008 in the quarter-finals after a 3-2 defeat by Germany, is currently recovering from ankle surgery which will rule him out of the start of next season.
Banks, whose save from Pele in the group stage of the 1970 World Cup finals is generally believed to be the greatest ever, accused Ronaldo of showing a lack of respect to Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Banks, who was part of England's 1966 World Cup winning side, said he could not understand why Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals for United last season, would want to move away from Old Trafford to Real Madrid.
The 23-year-old forward has still four years remaining on his contract with United - with whom he also won the Premiership last season - and both Pele and Banks ridiculed both his and FIFA president Sepp Blatter's claims that he was being treated like a "slave".
"You are a slave if you work without a contract or you don't get paid," said 67-year-old Pele, who was in Stoke, central England, to unveil a statue dedicated to Banks and for a charity match for the former England goalkeeper's charity foundation.
"If you have a contract then in any job you have to finish the contract.
"I think that when he finishes his contract, then he should be free to go wherever he wants to go."
Ronaldo, who bowed out of Euro 2008 in the quarter-finals after a 3-2 defeat by Germany, is currently recovering from ankle surgery which will rule him out of the start of next season.
Banks, whose save from Pele in the group stage of the 1970 World Cup finals is generally believed to be the greatest ever, accused Ronaldo of showing a lack of respect to Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Banks, who was part of England's 1966 World Cup winning side, said he could not understand why Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals for United last season, would want to move away from Old Trafford to Real Madrid.