Cristiano Ronaldo’s next move predicted by body language expert, Darren Stanton

Cristiano Ronaldo may be 41, but Darren Stanton does not see a player preparing for the quiet life.

The body language expert, speaking to AceOdds after Al-Nassr’s 2-0 win over Al-Ahli, believes Ronaldo’s gestures, expressions and tone all point in the same direction: he still has unfinished business.

Ronaldo’s anger says plenty

Stanton said Ronaldo looked “more grounded” and “more focused” than in some previous flashpoints, but added that his frustration with standards in the Saudi Pro League was clear.

“He’s clearly not happy with everything in Saudi Arabia,” Stanton said, arguing that Ronaldo appears to believe other major names in the league are not doing enough to raise its profile.

For Stanton, the key detail is that Ronaldo’s words and body language matched. That, he suggested, showed a genuine concern rather than a public performance.

Is more Ronaldo vs Messi in our future?

Stanton does not think retirement is close. Despite talk that Ronaldo could walk away after the World Cup, he said he would be “surprised” if the forward’s playing career ended imminently.

Instead, he floated a more dramatic possibility: another new league to follow Portugal, England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia.

“Maybe he will look to take on another new frontier before he calls it time and head out to the USA as David Beckham and Lionel Messi did,” Stanton said.

That would instantly revive the Ronaldo-Messi storyline, this time through the lens of MLS.

A future manager in the making?

Stanton also sees signs of a future coach or director emerging. He believes Ronaldo now shows a desire to “assume a certain responsibility over others,” not just focus on his own performance.

His verdict is simple: Ronaldo still wants goals, trophies and influence.

And if Stanton is right, the next move may not be retirement at all. It may be one last challenge...

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