Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal teammate signs with CR7 archrival in LaLiga

João Cancelo's return to FC Barcelona carries an added layer of intrigue because of his close ties to Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the club's most famous rivals.

Cancelo, a longtime teammate of Ronaldo with the Portugal national team and a former teammate at Juventus, is now set to wear the colors of a club that has long stood opposite Ronaldo's legacy in Spanish soccer.

Barcelona confirmed this week that Joao has rejoined the club on loan from Al Hilal Saudi FC through the end of the season. The Portuguese full-back will wear the No. 2 shirt. The signing ceremony took place Tuesday at the club's offices and was attended by Barcelona president Joan Laporta, first vice-president Rafael Yuste, board member Joan Soler, football director Anderson Luis de Souza, known as Deco, and Cancelo's family.

Cancelo feels right at home

Cancelo did not hide his enthusiasm about returning to Barcelona, describing the move as an easy decision. He said he was willing to wait for Barça when the opportunity arose and called representing the club an honor. Cancelo added that Barcelona is the only club that has given him "goosebumps" when signing, saying he feels at home both at the club and in the city.

The move is notable given Cancelo's history alongside Ronaldo. The two shared the pitch for Portugal in multiple international tournaments and were teammates at Juventus during Ronaldo's time in Turin. Cristiano's fierce rivalry with Barcelona, forged during his years at Real Madrid, has been one of the defining storylines of modern soccer, making Cancelo's return to the Catalan club a striking twist in that ongoing narrative.

For Cancelo, however, the focus is firmly on football and unfinished business. This marks his second spell with Barcelona after a productive loan during the 2023-24 season from Manchester City. In that campaign, he made 42 appearances across all competitions, including 32 in La Liga and 10 in the Champions League.

A renewed motivation for Joao

After his first loan ended in June 2024, Cancelo joined Al Hilal, where he has played 45 matches over the past season and a half. His return to Barcelona comes with renewed motivation, including the chance to play at the Spotify Camp Nou. Cancelo said the moment will be emotional and admitted he has been waiting a long time for the opportunity to play there as a home player.

Joao's career has taken him through some of Europe's biggest clubs. He began at Benfica, winning multiple domestic trophies, before moving to Valencia and establishing himself in La Liga. He later played for Inter Milan and Juventus in Italy, continuing his development before joining Manchester City in 2019.

His time with City included loan spells at Bayern Munich and Barcelona, adding to an already diverse résumé. Now back in blaugrana colors, Cancelo is embracing the challenge of helping Barcelona compete for titles, even if it means lining up for a club closely associated with one of Cristiano Ronaldo's most storied rivalries.