Interview | Press:
Cristiano Ronaldo interview with the Spanish daily el Pais brought on the 30th of August 2009.

This is the 3rd part of the interview – the 2 first parts were brought on earlier occasions.

Question: Going through your biography as a footballer it is interesting to observe that everything which has happened so far has been on a grand scale. Let’s see: when you were a kid the two biggest clubs in Madeira Nacional and Maritimo fought over you, your debut for Sporting Lisbon was no more or no less in the Champions League and against Inter Milan, your debut with the national team was in a match against Kazhakstan coming off the bench as a substitute replacing no other than Luis Figo. Manchester Unitd paid 18 million Euros for you in order for you to replace the grand icon David Beckham when he went to Real Madrid…
Answer: It has always come across me to take upon myself great responsibilities already from a very early age. It was difficult but it gave me great joy that the persons around me had so much confidence in me. This has given me great strength. My life has always been a challenge. I always prepare myself for winning , I am a winner , I love to win and I will continue like that. No matter where I play I want to win.
Question: One does pay attention to this because as well on as off the field you are having a individualistic attitude. Maybe because since being very young you have had to face great challenges all by yourself.
Answer: Now I do not see myself being that individualistic the truth is that I do not see myself like that at all. When I was younger yes because I had to take a lot of decisions and some were good and others were bad. Now I am older and more mature and after having won so many things with the team and individual awards I have a better perspective in order to play better, in order to make any kind of decision. But well I am not perfect and I have many things still to learn and of course I am always learning. I have to know when to make the right pass when I touch the ball…
Question: Do you like to joggle with the ball when you are alone – practice your skills – including when you are at your living room at home ?
Answer: I like it , I like it. When we finish a training session or in the gym I like to have someone with whom to practice tricks with the ball. Here in Madrid like in Manchester some of the players like to do this. And at home , well my nephews do not like football …
Question: What do you say ??
Answer: Yes , yes I do know that it sounds strange but my nephews do not like football. And I do not know why. Well, not everyone can be a footballer. So at home I play with myself.
Question: You just touched upon the subject of the gym. I do not quite understand your obsession with lifting weights and to build this sculpture of a body. Do you do it for esthetical reasons or is it really necessary in order to play football today when it was not really that crucial for many former great players ?
Answer: It is not true that it is an obsession that I have. When I was younger yes but not anymore. With the calendar that we have I do not have much time for going to the gym either. And of course it is necessary in order to play football but also for your self esteem in order to be more satisfied with oneself. In football there are many contacts and it is about being prepared.
Question: When did you have the feeling that finally you were going to sign for Real Madrid.
Answer: I did not know that it was going to happen until not long ago. Just over a month before when it finally happened. In Manchester there was a lot of talk about it but nothing more.
Question: It is for sure that you had made a pre-accord with Ramon Calderon the former Real Madrid President ?
Answer: No, that is not true.
Question: No ?
Answer: No!
Question: Florentino Perez apart from the money of course did he use any other means in the seduction ?
Answer: He is a very intelligent person. In order to be able to change so many things around here one has to be very intelligent. We have to give his credit for all what he has done.
Question: Did he make you sign something in a tissue like it happened in its’ day with Zidane ?
Answer: I do not remember very well. He gave me two presents.
Question: Would it be possible to get to know what these two presents were ?
Answer: a watch and a replica of the Cibeles fountain.
Question: Before or after you signed ?
Answer: After .. But he has still not given them back to me.
Question: I am not quite sure that I understand …
Answer: It was before my presentation in the Bernabeu. He told me: This is for you. When the presentation was over he forgot to give them to me. I do intend to reclaim though – hehehe.
Question: While we talk about football what kind of play do you like ?
Answer: I like to win , win , win. If you can win playing an attractive style of football even better. We have a great team and a great coach in that way we have all the ingredients in order to win and play attractive football.
Question: Do you watch a lot of football ?
Answer: A bit.
Question: Which teams have you admired recently for their way of playing ?
Answer: many.
Question: Barca for instance ?
Answer: El Barca plays very well, Atletico , Valencia. In Spain the teams play very well. In the Premier League the teams are more competitive and the physical game is more present while in Spain the play with the ball is the predominant way of play. At the end of the season it might leave you with a bit more energy.
Question: Have you been surprised by any of your new team mates who you did not know about before coming here?
Answer: I knew pretty much all of the players at least a little bit. What I have encountered is that there is a lot of quality in the team which is great for me in order to continue to learn and to win titles.
Question: To whom would you give the Golden Ball (best player in the world).
Answer: I do not know. It is a question which … I have many friends and if I mention one player another one is going to be insulted. They know very well whom I would give it to.
Question: To a certain Messi , winner of the treble maybe ..
Answer: Well, why not … it is possible.
Question: In the Champions League final in Rome against FC Barcelona you seemed very annoyed.
Answer: Because we lost. I have already told you that I hate losing and even less so a Champions League final. It is normal that I get angry over such a thing.
Question: How did your relation with Alex Ferguson end ?
Answer: Well, very well. He has been a spectacular person for me who has helped me a lot and whom I will carry with me at the heart forever.
Question: Do you know how many results google serves up if one searches for your name ?
Answer: no, no idea.
Question: 20 million 800 thousand.
Answer: A lot!
Question: Take it easy – Barack Obama has 81 million.
Answer: But that is Obama! Well, I am not that far off. But tell me – who is the footballer with most references in google ?
Question: Beckham I guess.
Answer: and who else ?
Question: I do not know I have not checked the numbers for other players.
Answer: Well, 20 million is not bad. It gives me a lot of motivation that people are interested in me.

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