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Opinion | Year in review: from Cristiano Ronaldo to Jose Mourinho, change was the name of the sporting game in 2018

  • A huge number of sporting superstars changed addresses this year, willingly or unwillingly

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Cristiano Ronaldo was looking for change, and he got it at Juventus. Photo: AP

Earlier this year, I moved 10,241 kilometres, across the world’s largest ocean for work – from Vancouver to Hong Kong.

Change is hard, scary, nerve-racking and also great.

The sporting world had a definitive sense of ushering in new beginnings in 2018 as well. It will go down as the year when everyone and their dog seemed to set up a new mailing address.

Cristiano Ronaldo exited Real Madrid, heading to Juventus in a splashy 100 million (US$113.8 million) transfer. Was Ronaldo unhappy at Real, or did Juventus present a fresh, new opportunity? The Portuguese star’s move seemed professionally motivated, a superstar surrounded by stars looking for a less crowded skyline.

Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid looking for a fresh start, ushering in change. Photo: EPA
Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid looking for a fresh start, ushering in change. Photo: EPA

Juventus on the other hand were looking to take their Uefa Champions League game to the next level, and also bask in the glow of the “Ronaldo effect”. The move seems to have paid off for both, although it remains to be seen if this is a long-term love affair, or simply a flash in the pan between the striker and the Italian side.

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