Paulo Whitaker / Reuters

“Without a doubt, the American market is one of my goals for the future,” Brazilian striker Ronaldo said Monday.

updated 3:25 p.m. ET May 29, 2006

WEGGIS, Switzerland - Brazil striker Ronaldo wants to play in the United States later in his career.

“Right now I have a contract with Real Madrid and I’m only thinking about the World Cup, but without a doubt, the American market is one of my goals for the future,” Ronaldo said Monday.

Ronaldo reportedly turned down a recent $120 million, 10-year offer to play for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.

Ronaldo’s manager, Fabiano Farah, told the Estado de Minas newspaper that Ronaldo refused the offer because he is happy playing in Europe, where he intends to stay for several years.

“A transfer to the United States right now would not make sense,” Farah said. “He still has several challenges in European soccer.”

The 29-year-old Ronaldo will start for Brazil when the defending champions debut in Germany against Croatia on June 13. Ronaldo is tied with Pele with 12 World Cup goals and is only three shy of becoming the World Cup’s leading scorer.

He had various injuries at the start of the year and played sparingly for Real Madrid, scoring only five goals in the team’s first 19 matches.

Ronaldo will be playing in his fourth World Cup. He was 17 when Brazil won the tournament in 1994 in the United States.

In 97 matches with the national team, Ronaldo has scored 61 goals. When the striker is on the field, Brazil has lost eight times.

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