Brazil legend Ronaldo reveals he will run for presidency of their FA to restore his nation’s ‘prestige and respect’ – with the iconic striker set to sell his majority stake in Real Valladolid

Former Brazilian striker Ronaldo will run for president of the country’s football confederation (CBF), the 48-year-old said on Monday.

Ronaldo, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 and 2002, will stand as a candidate in the CBF elections to replace current president Ednaldo Rodrigues in 2026.

“Among hundreds of things that motivate me to become a candidate for the presidency of the CBF, I want to regain this prestige and respect that the Selecao (Brazil’s national team) always had and today no one else has,” he told Globo Esporte.

The former Barcelona, ​​Inter Milan and Real Madrid forward also currently said he expects to sell his stake in Spanish top club Real Valladolid.

He has faced criticism over a perceived lack of investment from Valladolid fans, who have been relegated from LaLiga twice under his ownership.

“We are negotiating a possible sale very soon and we have to close the deal. It will not be an obstacle to my candidacy,” he added.

Ronaldo, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 and 2002, is a candidate for 2026

Ronaldo previously owned a 90% stake in Brazilian side Cruzeiro, which he sold earlier this year.

In April, the iconic striker told a press conference that he had “mixed feelings” after the sale of his stake, but insisted he had helped restore the club’s stability.

“It is inevitable not to remember that two years and four months ago I irresponsibly took on the great challenge of buying Cruzeiro’s SAF,” Ronaldo said, according to Globo.

“Since then we have faced many challenges, the vast majority of which we have won, we have made mistakes and we have stumbled along the way.

“Today I can say that I hand over Cruzeiro with a sense of peace and a fulfilled duty, as Cruzeiro’s situation was very precarious.”