Tom Brady has shocked the sporting world after announcing his comeback just two months after retiring – and Cristiano Ronaldo fans are convinced he had something to do with it.
Brady watched on from the crowd at Old Trafford during Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday where the Portuguese superstar scored a hat-trick - only his second ever for the club.
The pair met after the game and Brady appears to dodge an answer to Ronaldo’s question: “You’re finished, right?”
Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
Ronaldo also gave Brady’s son his hat trick shirt, writing on Twitter: “Always a pleasure and a privilege to share some thoughts and ideas with another GOAT.”
Always a pleasure and a privilege to share some thoughts and ideas with another GOAT\u2026 pic.twitter.com/HsFe7UxjQ6— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano Ronaldo) 1647165496
Brady announced his comeback just a day later – and fans are convinced that watching Ronaldo and chatting to him after the game changed his mind about his decision to leave the game.
Tom Brady comes out of retirement a day after watching Cristiano Ronaldo score a Premier League hat-trick at 37-years-oldhttps://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1503147141795045378\u00a0\u2026— utdreport (@utdreport) 1647213726
If Tom Brady went to watch Messi instead of Ronaldo he\u2019d still be in retirement— \u2666\ufe0f (@\u2666\ufe0f) 1647213552
My man Tom Brady had a convo with the GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo and the next day he came back from retirement !! pic.twitter.com/m82qrmMMQO— PointGod LUHG \ud83d\udd30\u2790 (@PointGod LUHG \ud83d\udd30\u2790) 1647213542
Tom Brady was on his feet applauding Ronaldo's tremendous hattrick ag Spurs, met him after the game and decided to return from retirement within 30 hours. Coincidence? nope.— ZEE\u2077 (@ZEE\u2077) 1647232799
Cristiano Ronaldo : \u201cthanks for coming to the game\u201d\nTom Brady: \u201cit\u2019s my pleasure, congrats on your hat trick!\u201d\nCristiano Ronaldo: \u201cwhy are you retiring, you are too good to do that\u201d\nTom Brady: \u201cok, I might change my mind\u201dpic.twitter.com/WqpBDsknPc— Sun Min Kimes (@Sun Min Kimes) 1647215063
One social media user wrote: “Tom Brady comes out of retirement a day after watching Cristiano Ronaldo score a Premier League hat-trick at 37-years-old.
“If Tom Brady went to watch Messi instead of Ronaldo he’d still be in retirement,” another said.
One more added: “Tom Brady was on his feet applauding Ronaldo's tremendous hattrick [at] Spurs, met him after the game and decided to return from retirement within 30 hours. Coincidence? nope.”
Not everyone is happy about Brady's comeback. The day before the 44-year-old confirmed he was returning to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an unlucky punter paid more than £397,000 [$518,000] for the ball that would have been the last touchdown pass of his career.
Brady announced in February that he would step down from play after 22 seasons and seven Super Bowl titles.
However, he tweeted on Sunday: “These past two months I’ve realised my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now.
“I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business. Let’s f***ing go.”
Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.