Cristiano Exclusive: “Ruud Knows The Club. If Ten Hag Listens to Him, I Think They Can Improve”

I'm not happy the way it all happened, but in the same way, we cannot control some points in our life sometimes. But it's done, already done, and I repeat, I still love Manchester United and I wish them the best. Right guys, this is the first episode of my new series, Rio Meets. And there's nowhere else I wanted to start, man, than starting with one of my good old teammates, Cristiano Ronaldo. We wanted to go to the top and go out big from the start, and we've done it. That's why I've just landed in Portugal, and he's invited me around to his house. I'm going to get behind the scenes and get to know Cristiano just a little bit more than you have before. I'm looking forward to speaking to him about when he came to Man United, when he joined us as a little skinny, funny-haired, funny-teethed teenager and left as a Ballon d'Or winner. I'm looking forward to helping you guys understand what goes into Ronaldo's life to make him the machine that he became from start to finish. You know, we're almost there now, so listen, let's just get there. Let's get stuck in. Hey, how are you doing? How are you? I'm good, you? Good, good. You're looking good today, you look strong. Sharp. All good? Not bad. For me, to be with you, as I told you before, we had a great relationship, we played together, and for me, now you are a big star. No, no, it was good. I'm looking forward to it, man, I'm in the club last night. Yeah. I'm here, there's United pictures all over the place, me and you lifting trophies, I've got to speak to you about Manchester United now. Let's go back, you went back to Man United, we spoke on the phone when you were going to go and sign at Man United, when you were negotiating to come back, and my wife wanted to kill me at one o'clock in the morning, and you rang me, what's going on, can you sort this out? You end up signing for United. Initially that must have been a beautiful thing for you, because I remember on the phone you sounded so happy, and then obviously it went a bit sour. Just give us a bit of insight, and do you feel you've been proven right in what you said in the interview you did when you first left? To prove that I'm right or wrong, this is not my issue anymore, I say what I have to say, and for me it's done, but to be honest with you, what I wish for Manchester, it's what I wish for me. The best they can make against the best team they can, and I love that club, I'm not that kind of guy that forgot the past. When I'm back there, I was very happy, I was one of the best scorers, I did unbelievable things with the club, my first season with 37, I was the third best scorer of the league, I scored all the group stages, I scored every game, even in the league, I scored 17 goals, awaiting goals, I did amazing, but as I told you, Manchester, they need to rebuild everything, in my opinion. The coach, they say they cannot compete to win the league and the Champions League, you cannot say, if you are a Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the league or the Champions League. You have to mentally say, listen, maybe we don't have that potential, but I cannot say that. We're going to try. We're going to try, we have to try. But maybe that was when we were there, that was the culture, maybe the culture is different now, but it had to have a reset, because the standards have gone down, the expectations have to come down. Yeah, exactly, maybe, this is why I say, but this club needs time to rebuild, because it's still one of the best clubs in the world, but they need to change. And they understand that it's the only way. And this is why you show that they start to change again, the structure of the club, the president, the infrastructures and everything, the owners of the club. They're investing in the training ground. They're investing in training ground. So I'm happy, because I'm not happy with the way it all happened, but in the same way, we cannot control some points in our life sometimes. But it's done, already done, and I repeat, I still love Manchester United, and I wish them the best. Where do you see the promise in the squad? You look at their squad now, you look at Gannaccio, I'm talking about players, attacking players really, and you see, you probably look there first, the Gannaccios, the Rashfords, the Hoylands. Where do you see the promise there? I believe, I believe that the future will be bright. I believe. But they don't depend only on the talents. It's more than that. It's all club, all, not only players, club, everything as a unit, United, you know? They have to rebuild from the bottom. If not, they cannot compete. It will be impossible. They can do good things. Yes, they can win Carabao, or can win, yeah, but I mean, Champions League, or Europa League, or Premier League, difficult, in my opinion, and I wish that I'm wrong. I wish, but it will be difficult. Do you think Ruud, obviously we know Ruud, he's gone back there now. I think he will help a lot. Yeah? In which way? What do you mean? If Ten Hag listens to Ruud, maybe he can, I think he can help a lot because he knows the club, and the club should listen to the guys who was there. You, or Roy Keane, or Paul Scholes, or Gary Neville, whatever, Sir Alex Ferguson, you cannot, you cannot rebuild a club without knowledge. Not guys who work in office, they understand, I understand a lot of football because I see football in the television every day, and I understand, no, this doesn't work like that. The people who understand the football, it was 99% is the people who was there, in the dressing room, who was playing, who was the most successful, coaches in the world. Guardiola, Ferguson, there was players before, there was players, they was in the dressing room, they understand, they know how to deal with the players, it's the people who understand the things, you understand? That's true. If you want to go Formula 1 now to be injured, you never, you don't know. I don't know, you understand? It should be the guys who work that. It's like if you have electricity problems in your house, you don't call the plumber, you don't call the guy. Ah no, but I was, in my computer, I know how to change. No, this doesn't work like that. It's true, it's true. You understand what I mean? So I believe that Ruud is going to help because he was inside the club, he knows the club, he knows the fans. If the coach listens to him, I think they can improve a little bit the club. That takes me back to when you was a kid, you turned up at Man United, and this isn't about, it's about football, but it's more about you. You turn up, skinny, and the hair is crazy. With spaghetti. Yeah, spaghetti hair, the teeth is all over the place. And you're the entertainer. You come, you're doing skills. The people, they can't believe it. I remember Ruud was the main man. Everybody coming after the sand, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, after. Even he couldn't believe it. Everyone was like, wow. And you was all about step over entertainment. And then fast forward five, six years, you leave, you go to Real Madrid, golden ball, face is fixed, good looking, body fucking amazing, and a killer in front of goal. I learned that in Manchester United because the last years in Manchester United, I was the best scorer in Champions League, and in the league I was the best scorer too. 40 something goals. The mindset is changed. How? There. What made you change? Because I realized that the goals for our positions it's more important than fucking step overs. Which is good, I know. The showboats, you remember Saturday. Used to love it. Yeah, showboat is nice. You used to sit there and watch the sky and when the showboat segment come on you used to go aeeeee, aeeeee! You know what I mean? Yes. It's chapters that you have in your life and you realize that things that you do, it doesn't worth it anymore. Or worth it less. and I start to realise that to win important things and win Champions League and golden balls and golden boots you have to score goals and you have to perform in front of the net and to come in the first page of paper you have to score goals if not they don't put in the first page you cut the ball in the line it's the guys who score goals. Just on that point yeah you've played and we're going a bit off topic here but you you've played at loads of clubs at the top level and obviously there's always been young players at all those clubs what are the young players like interacting with you at these clubs have you got any good examples of players that come to you for advice or you can tell that they're watching you who are those guys and what's it like you know me very well I'm not I don't lie I see the best examples I see Gary Neville your example, Giggsie, Roy Keane what what I do I check everything and I take from what you do best what Gary do best and I make my own personality my own style my own profession what was it about those guys what do you take for me then you are a professional good-looking very far from that no but you always do it gym you're always strong center back strong with the good muscles in a pitch but outside you do it's a gym I remember a lot you are a tall guy but strong guy abs with the Cleggy and everything and of course the environment that we have in Manchester was good because everyone have his own ego but in the same time we put our ego inside the team and they know each other what they should do it in a pitch to win stuff it's not coincidence that we won everything because you know your work you Vidi, Roots, Saha, me, Gary Neville, Filner they know everyone know his rule in a team and this is for my opinion who change the football and the trophies yes Spain for example they win Euros if you see Spain the way they play you see everyone know his rules this is why the win is not coincidence they beat everybody you understand they deserve you have to they work as a team and the big teams the teams who win more titles and Champions League it's the team that plays they know their rule my opinion you sacrifice their exactly exactly but back to the point about going from winger to a number nine and scoring loads of goals it what did you have to change what did you what did you did Sir Alex Ferguson give you any pointers did maybe Van Nistelrooy or did somebody say to you you need to change this and but what did you have to work on that was different from being a winger to become the crazy goal scorer I realized I realized that the environment that I have the players who I play with I learned I think something from all of them in my opinion and everyone even from the defenders you take as I told you before you take piece of everybody the I mean the best ones the most professional and you build yourself you understand rude for me was to play with for me was the best ever my opinion and I start to felt trading with them the finishings that I start good with the left with the right I was good sign he wasn't good with the left yeah but I improve I improve I wasn't in the contest that was good because everyone practice everyone practice and I was there and I start to felt that mmm I'm good I start good with the left with the right start to score goals and your confidence coming up you understand in this is why where you start to felt that Christian okay you can do it step over but focus more and what you are good because you start to score goals and you are good to score goals so maintain that and for me it's the most smart way if you want longevity in a football that we all of us we start to lose things imagine in a high level of football or tennis or Formula One you start to lose things by the H is normal it's a normal process to adapt the things that you lost and the other things that you win to build as a player I know I I'm not the same player that 10 years ago people saw it's not the same players that 10 years of course no you are the same guy you have more gray hair you are more fat for example you gray hair but you understand what I mean you have to adapt and if you earn longevity in football you have to adapt your things and not only other way in my opinion you have to adapt but you grew up out wide on the wings and you became a box you're great in the box you've adapted your game to be great in the box now and I watched a piece of movement you done in the game in the Euros against France oh the movement yeah the defender was looking there you was there yes the finish wasn't like we normally see how did you learn to do that movement because it wasn't something you've done as a kid in the book you learn how who from how do you teach you learn the players that you like young people what you know we want to know how how do I teach myself as I told you for me was a great move to change Portugal to Premier League with 18 years old to work with the sir Alex Ferguson to work in that contest because all the players worse average age like when I say average is like 25 above experience experience and I was like the little kid there you treat me like to protect me and it was good and and my mindset it always been I want to be the best player in the world it was the mindset even with 16 17 18 and I wasn't there says look I have to take advantage of that I play with the best players in the world I have to live with these guys and build and because I'm always want to learn you understand this is one thing I always say to people he was humble like that you would always ask questions exactly to take advantage from that for my future you understand and I think it was because of that to be honest the curiosity to learn I think it's the main point if you want to be successful not only football but in life you have to be a little bit curious I think Chris let's talk about Real Madrid firstly what do you think of their season last year most of the people say yeah they are lucky in a champion they are not lucky they have their brain they are prepared they prepare for this kind of moments Bernabeu the stadiums they have a different aura you understand energy the energy is different and when the big teams go there they score one goal 85 minutes 90 minutes the pressure is a lot for me it's the best club ever in history of football and I make story there in history there I was I win trophies I win everything there I'm the the record of goals of the club and for me was a pleasure to play in Real Madrid for eight seasons eight nine seasons and to win four Champions League's there and golden boots and everything I win there so I love that that that place how impressed were you with Jude Berlin coming to Real Madrid obviously you know that path and that journey and how difficult it can be how impressive you've been with him in these first year it's the same it's the same it's huge huge potential huge talents you go to the club that it's the environment was clean was good and he grow he grow like the other ones that come having like Rodrigo like Vinicius so it's good I think he's in a team that helped him to be a top player and I believe too that you're gonna be one of the best the next generation it's the second year harder you went you scored I think 20 something goals in your first year then I think it's called 50 in your second right that's not normal let's see the normal is in that way but they always you know Mbappé go there now how would you say Madrid gonna be better or gonna be we don't know let's see let's see I think Madrid will will keep strong but I don't know if they will be better than last year I don't know let's see only gods know but they have a fantastic team fantastic players I believe that they're gonna be they're gonna be one of the best teams in the world I want to talk about when you went there but obviously you've got killing Mbappé going there now and we'll get on to him but wait so it'd be similar for him when you went there what was the pressure like in the changing room because you had big I remember we spoke years ago and it was like you said there's a big Spanish contingent there it's gonna be difficult for me to get in and I was the most expensive player ever yeah I'm like what's pressure but in the same way I believe in myself I say listen if I was the best player in the Premier League and I win the Golden Ball in Manchester United Champions League and this is the league but I was I knew it that I will do it well I knew it because as I told you I'm I believe in my my skills I believe in my talent was difficult because it's a different country the adaptation I was 24 you are still young but in the same way I was very very very positive the best club in the world I say I'm gonna make history in this club like I did in Manchester United it was a challenge for me but as you know I'm a I'm a challenged person I like to show the people that they are wrong you understand even with the age right now that we're gonna speak later about that I like to prove the opposite what the people thinking so was a big challenge for me and I was very very very happy to play in Real Madrid in that period what's what's what are gonna be the problems and what is killing them up I need to do going in there I think you're gonna do it well to be honest because the structure of the club it's it's nice it's good it's solid you understand and they have a great coach and the president who were there many many years I think you're not gonna be a big issue for him not gonna be a big problem because it's his challenge we show everything what is capable to do it and I think you're gonna do it well to be honest because it's in my opinion it can be the next golden ball for the last the next years him probably islands Bellingham I mean I think it's this new generation they have a lot of potential but let's see if they the head is clear and good and if they can deal with the pressure because Real Madrid is not PSG I can tell you there is different environment Spanish they are different but I believe that you're gonna do it very well so you just mentioned being closer to the end of your career than you are at the start but you're finished they say exactly they they say whatever they want but do you see all that you do listen to it you hear it you see it and use it as fuel sometimes but real to be honest I'm 39 in and enough I care less about what because even when you do it good they criticize you but and criticize is part of your journey you understand so it's I don't care about that because I'm even even if I will win the heroes I will continue my hunger will maintain the same you understand it doesn't matter for me if you win or if you lost I will stand up the next day and I will continue bro if I won the euros at 39 years old brother the cigar the feet would be up I don't understand how I can't and I played elite football I just still can't see surprises me it sounds me sometimes when I eat and you're getting up every day the same like that like you're 18 years old it's it's hard to explain but I like to make people happy to you know I have fans whatever world or over the world and I see them highs when they see me just you know when I score goals and they do it in the street every time and I want them yes I want I want to make them happy you know and I'm still I don't know what I'm gonna finish and another thing that I learned since you play more you learn many many many things and one things that I learned in a few years is like enjoy the moment enjoy the moment leave the moment because you don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow so I know I'm still looking good I mean I look good you know I feel that I still can drilling still shooting score goals jumping the day that I start to feel that I'm not produce nothing listen I pack my bags and I go away but it's far from that because as I told you I don't want to be cookie yet I score 16 goals this season now you're gonna 60 goals 6 6 0 now you're gonna speak about up 5 goals you don't score in heroes what's going on what's the problem I scored 130 I score what I'm the most goal scorer in the world history yeah but I will I will push a level even I I will put the level even I my challenge is to be 1,000 goals you're gonna put the 1,000 I wanted to reach 1,000 goals and not you know how are you gonna be there when you're playing still well I will try 41 we don't know yeah this is why I told you I want to leave the present but if I'm not have injuries this is for me it's the most important I want that with one different all the goals that I scored they have video so I can't prove they all have video you're talking about this stuff for now you're talking about my goals all goals I mean and if you want more goals I can bring from the training too so no problem all the goals with video and I will prove to the people after they prefer this player or this or this is the best I don't care about that I remember when we were younger it was in every phase of your life was competition in the change room arguing with Nani or with Anderson and the guys about one about a tomato or something like stupid I used to go Rio yeah and you just go I see I told you and table tennis when I just slap you a little bit but are you still competitive like that now every walk of your life yeah I was in the Red Sea a couple days ago I play everyday paddle and me and Cristiano jr. yeah you get mad is it we don't speak with me like for two days it's the same as you this is why I'm happy this is why I'm happy and even the small one Matteo yeah they are pissed with the vain very always pissed but I like this is show that they have personality but serious my kids they are like me and I don't teach them they see by example because you know sometimes when I lost I get angry or sometimes I'm cry depend of the moment and they are kind of the same so even with my kids I compete even with the gym I'm always want to win so I don't give nothing for free and that takes me to your son now Chris Junior yes he wants to be a footballer yes this generation is difficult for you to tell them something and letting them to do it it's difficult your kids you felt that is really difficult but always in my mind put you will see your daddy by example they see me every day what I do in home in a training or in the game they say my daddy's work a lot every time you understand they see that they see that and but right in this moment Christian want to be football player but I'm not make a big pressure I make a little bit of pressure he's 14 years old I'm gonna do it he have the pressure already to be son of Cristiano imagine if I make now in the middle of big Lions right now let him let him do it his mistakes let him do it is it is things but I hope so in the future it can be a professional player or if he's not be a player be another job but I will always will support them because we cannot make a pressure in our sons because we are famous because you've been able to give them a different life to what you had yeah we both had we had humble upbringings when we were young we've lived good lives now yeah because of football their lives are different so how do you give them hunger how do you give him the work ethic by example I think it's the only way I give good education to my kids but by example so take me into the Euro 2024 when you're crying on the pitch now you've had time to reflect when you was in there in that tournament and you were crying what was that like because you got some people saying oh why is he crying eyes he's ego is this is that what what what is the reasons behind it and how do you feel now about looking behind the people who say that there are people stupid there are people that they don't have a heart and they don't understand nothing and it's much more easy to criticize that appreciate what what you really have you know we knows the press all works if you speak good don't sell you have to speak but it's normal and if you speak about Cristiano you're coming in the first page is normal because I'm the most follow guy in the world it's not because only because of my pretty face but in everything you know why Christian is the number one follow in the world why what do you think many things goals football fees trophies family way lifestyle everything because people say why they follow because they in some way they like me you understand I think and they criticize all is gonna exist and it's part of the business for me this is is not a problem your question was in Eros why you cry why you cry for example I speak last night about that when you have passion for what you're doing you cannot be worried about all your feelings if for example I cried the day that I missed the penalty which is I believe that all black did a fantastic save okay but let's interpret it that I missed the penalty when I cry it's not because I cry because I felt that if I don't score that penalty and if Portugal will be eliminated they're gonna world will collapse on me not because of that real no it's people they don't know they don't know me it's imagine that the last 27 penalties you score you miss in that period you feel like bad from yourself you don't even think about that the people who come to the stadium your kids your mom your girlfriend everyone I felt sad because of that you think I'm will thinking I missed the penalty but Portugal gonna falling down on me they're gonna say that we felt because Cristiano missed it but I didn't even think about that I swear to God I felt because I make pressure to myself you know me since with 11 years old I always make pressure to me Cristiano you are the best player in the world in my mind I'm always thinking in that way and I put a lot of pressure to myself you have good sides when the things go good okay but when the things go wrong you feel that too because you make too much pressure to me I make pressure to me but I love that I know to deal with that but when I missed the penalty I felt bad with myself the fans the family not because other stuff that people say that I it's not that so you look into the crowd was it like your mom your kids exactly I know what that gets me emotional in the World Cup I cried during national anthem I heard my mom screaming and it all came like this moment what a moment and I special moment is the emotional moments when you saw your mom exactly you have to express yourself you cannot hiding this kind of stuff for me if you're hiding you you you lie to yourself you have to be yourself doesn't matter if you people like or not you think I'm gonna change now our Christian itself is always I'm gonna change now you think with nearly 40 years old I'm gonna change of course not oh you like me or you don't like me it's part of the life for me it's not a problem in the national team it was like that I people say ah he's done he's 39 he's getting old you know why because I didn't score the goal and and the rest and the past in qualifiers you scored like 10 goals 10 goals and before the Euros I scored two goals against Ireland but this is part real even even if I will score in Euros not we will change what Cristiano are you gonna see people try to to hiding stuff and speak but listen I don't know problem tomorrow I will play against the national team and I will try to score if I don't score next game I will try to score if I will be like that. Does that affect you? I see when when people were talking about I was doing the TV and I see people talking about Portugal why why is Cristiano playing all the minutes why is he always he's on the pitch the whole time why doesn't the manager take him out what do you feel or what's your opinion on stuff like that? I guess the critics always gonna exist but the people forget one thing is a Cristiano don't score goals I scored two goals I scored two goals imagine is that that rats if they miss one penalty during the game and will be the first shooting in a in a extra time the penalties to be the first one I scored two times I was the first one to show that I miss but I will I'm not gonna shy away I'm gonna be I'm gonna be here even if I miss I will shoot you understand and I scored two goals a decision. Is that what you're thinking about your teammates then you're thinking about I'm gonna show you listen confidence and give you confidence. I'm real I'm always will be like that I'm never gonna shy away never never and you know me since young I'm not shy away I'm not that that scared ass that I have cramp which is I understand some people they don't want to shoot penalty because they feel they don't feel confident it's okay I respect that but Cristiano never will do that never even if I miss one time I will shoot the second time if I lose the second time I will shoot the third time I'm not afraid but always the people take the most the the worst part not always the the good part if you ask me you you want to score during the game yes but doesn't happen what I'm gonna do I'm gonna cry I'm gonna finish my career because some two rats criticize me the world the world love me the fans love me you understand and this is my motivation to carry on to play football people love me nobody gonna take my shine away because two guys from television that nobody knows who is them criticize me what were you missed oh man you're gonna have to give up this game one day I don't know you're you're the kind of a guy who wants to play for another four or five years yeah if you do that you deserve it but when you finally take your boots off for the last time what will be one of the couple of things that you go you know what I'm gonna miss that I I miss when I'm going to a stadium on the big moments I think that I'm not gonna I'm gonna miss I'm not gonna have the adrenaline that's gotta go or to be in a bit to be nervous you know to be and I think I'm gonna miss that because other parts I'm you know I'm in a good control if people around me I have good business will give good I have good things good incomes that but I think that there are no football never gonna exist more this is why I'm going a little bit farther than football because with 40s you say I give everything you understand 40 or 41 or 40 what doesn't matter you say I give my body for 25 years of football I cannot give more because you know the age done allowed to go more for that for example this is why I'm extend you understand my longevity and this is why I take care of myself of keep working because I know that two three years more I still can produce something good but after that I don't even want to think about that this is why I told you let me think in the present I do it all the part I've prepared my business area which is going very very very well I will be miss of course I will miss probably I will be a little bit lost but listen what I'm gonna do you think I'm gonna cry with all life that I have yeah maybe a little bit because I'm become more sensitive but I will be a little bit like that but I have other things to worry another you're gonna be another chapter of my life which is a business part that I'm excited to and that will be a challenge for me and learn other areas that I really don't know be more involved in my business and I think we'll be good we'll be interesting and I will be prepared for that it's not even his first language you know I mean so he was just saying there he's like he finds it really difficult but it's so easy we got way more than we thought it was gonna get I'll be honest so no it's nice he just leaves he's comfortable in his skin he's just he knows what he is he knows who he is I think we'll be back for a few more soon did you hear that man's gonna get he said he's gonna get a thousand fucking goals he said he said he's gonna get a thousand goals is he mad but you can't bet against him this guy that's the thing he says it is a gleam in his eye but I don't think there's many but you can't really bet against him because physically he looks he takes so much care of himself so it's like he could play for three or four more years easy listen man