Deco Reveals Why He Turned Down Manchester United and Reflects on Messi vs. Ronaldo Dilemma

Deco, Barcelona legend and the current director of football at the club, disclosed that he rejected an offer to play for Manchester United. The Portuguese midfielder discussed the interest from the ‘Red Devils’ in an interview with the English magazine FourFourTwo.

“It wasn’t the right time for me,” Deco explained, revealing the reason for turning down the English club. “The best offers came from Chelsea and Bayern. Manchester United also inquired about me, but it wasn’t the right moment.”

Deco eventually signed with Barcelona in 2004, right after winning the UEFA Champions League with José Mourinho’s Porto. Joining the Catalan club was a dream come true for the midfielder. “It was the team I dreamed of playing for as a child. I watched many games in the ’90s, and when I had the opportunity to go, I couldn’t be happier.”

However, Deco’s transfer to Barcelona was not straightforward. “I had options to go to Barcelona after winning the UEFA in 2003, but Porto didn’t let me leave; I had to stay for another year.” Deco appreciates the effort of President Pinto da Costa to win the Champions League. “He deserves a lot of recognition. He truly believed we could achieve great things, so he worked to retain key players when it wasn’t easy.”

Deco admitted that the club’s decision didn’t sit well with him. “It took me a few months to accept the situation, but I realized being disappointed with the club was pointless and started playing better until winning the Champions League. I can’t deny that staying for another year was a great decision.”

As for the perennial Messi vs. Ronaldo question, the Barça’s director of football skillfully avoided choosing between the two superstars, praising both. “They are different players; it’s tough to pick between one or the other.”

Deco acknowledged Messi’s natural talent, having played with him on 79 occasions. “He has always been a natural talent. He adapted to the game over time, but his way of moving has always been the same.”

The former Barça player highlighted Ronaldo’s growth as a player. “In his youth, he was a pure winger, taking the ball and just thinking about dribbling past everyone. He grew a lot as a footballer, becoming the most competitive beast I’ve seen.”

“The ideal scenario would be to have both of them on the team,” he added. “It would be passing them the ball and expecting the rest.” Deco coincided with Messi at Barcelona from 2004 to 2008, while he played with Cristiano in the Portuguese national team from 2003 to 2010.