Ronaldo return to Bernabeu urged as Madrid journalist calls on Perez to revive Santiago Bernabeu Trophy

A prominent Madrid-based journalist has publicly urged Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to the Santiago Bernabeu for a one-off appearance in a revived edition of the club’s traditional pre-season trophy.

Tomas Roncero, a well-known Real Madrid supporter and journalist with Spanish newspaper AS, called on Perez to organise a friendly match against Al Nassr before the start of the new season, with Ronaldo featuring for the Saudi Pro League side in the 40th edition of the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy.

AS released a video in which Roncero appealed directly to the Real Madrid hierarchy, suggesting that the long-running pre-season competition be reinstated specifically to host Ronaldo and Al Nassr at the Bernabeu.

The Santiago Bernabeu Trophy, created by Real Madrid in 1979 as an annual curtain-raiser at their home stadium, has not been held since its 39th staging in 2018 – the same year Ronaldo left the club.

Call to revive trophy and honour Ronaldo

Roncero’s comments have reopened discussion in Madrid about both restoring the historic friendly competition and offering Ronaldo a symbolic return to the stadium where he became a club legend.

The proposal comes at a time when Ronaldo is approaching the final year of his contract with Al Nassr, which is due to run until the end of next season. That timeline has increased speculation around the 39-year-old Portugal captain’s future and the possibility that he could consider retirement once his deal in Saudi Arabia expires.

By linking the 40th edition of the Bernabeu Trophy with Ronaldo’s contractual situation, Roncero has framed the idea as an opportunity for Real Madrid fans to see their former forward play again at the stadium that witnessed the peak years of his career.

Ronaldo’s journey since leaving Madrid

Ronaldo left Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 to join Juventus, ending a nine-year spell in Spain. He spent three seasons with the Italian club before returning to Manchester United for a second stint, which lasted a season and a half.

In January 2023, he signed for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, becoming the star attraction in a competition that has since drawn a series of high-profile players from European football.

Real Madrid’s record scorer

Ronaldo remains Real Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 450 goals scored over nine seasons between 2009 and 2018.

During that period he became one of the defining figures in the club’s modern history, wearing the famous white shirt in an era that delivered multiple domestic and European honours and cemented his status among the game’s greats.

Roncero’s appeal does not suggest any permanent return to Real Madrid for Ronaldo, but instead focuses on a one-off spectacle at the Bernabeu that would reconnect the player with the stadium and fanbase where he enjoyed the most prolific spell of his career.

Real Madrid and Florentino Perez have not yet responded publicly to Roncero’s proposal, and there has been no official indication from either the Spanish club or Al Nassr that discussions over such a friendly have taken place.