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

I'm not happy the way the all happen but in the same way we cannot control some points on our life sometimes but it's done already done and I repeat I'm 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 Christiano 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 and we're going 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 May United when he joined us as a little skinny funny haired funny teeth teenager and left as a bondor winner I'm looking forward to helping you guys understand what goes in to Ronaldo's life to make him the machine that he became from start to finish um you know what we're almost there in there so listen let's just

get there let get stuck in how you doing your how are you to see you how you doing good good looking good today looking strong sharp all good nice good not [Music] bad it's a pleasure for me to be with you as I told you before yeah a great relationship we play together and for me now you are a a big star fuing li no no it's good I'm looking forward to it man I didn't night [Music] yeah listen man 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 my united we spoke on the phone when you was going to going to go on side at May United when you was negotiating to come back and my wife wanted to kill me at 1:00 in the morning you rang me well what's going on you sort this out you end up signing signing for United um 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 and do you feel you've been proven right in what you said in the interview done when you first left to prove that I'm right or wrong this is not it's not my issues anymore I say what I have to say and uh for me for me it's done but to be honest real what I wish for Manchester it's what I wish for me the best they can make again the best team they can um and I love that club you know I'm not I'm not that kind

of guy that forgot the past when I'm back there uh I was very happy I was one of the best scores I did 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 stage I scor every game even in the league I scor 17 goals or 18 goals I did amazing but as I told you Manchester they they need to rebuild everything in my opinion the coach they say they cannot compete to win the league and 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 the league or Champions League you have to to be mentally say listen Maybe we're not we don't have that potential but I cannot say that we're going to try we try you have to try but but maybe that was that was when we was there that was the culture maybe the coach is different now they had to have a reset because the standards have gone down the expectations have to come down May yeah exactly maybe this

is why I say but this club needs you need time to rebuild uh because it's is still one of the best clubs in the world but they need to change and they they they understand that uh it's the only way and this is why you show that they start to change again the the structure of the club the president the the the infrastructures and everything the owners of the club yeah they invested in the training they invest in training so I'm happy because I'm not happy the way they all happen but in the same way

we cannot control some points in our life sometimes but it's done already done and I repeat I'm still love Manchester United and I wish them the best where do you see the Promise in the squad like you look at their squad now you look at gacho like I'm look talking about players attacking players really and you see you probably look there first the gonos the rashford's the hland where do you see the Promise there I believe I believe that the future will be bright bright I believe but they don't depend only of the the talents

it's more that it's all Club all not only Players Club everything as a unique United you know they have to rebuild from the bottom if not not they cannot compete it's it's will be impossible they can do it good things yes they can win carava 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 will be difficult do you think rude obviously we know rude he's gone back there now I think it will help a lot yeah in

which way what do you mean now if they a list and rude maybe he can I think he can help a lot because he knows the club and the club should listen the guys who was there you or Roy Kean or Paul SK or g nille whatever s Alex Ferguson you cannot you cannot rebuild a club without knowledge not guys who work in office they understand I I understand a lot of football because I see football in the television every day and I no this is not doesn't work like that the people who understand the

football he was 99% is the people who was there in a dressing room who was player who is the most successful coaches in the world Guardiola F there was player before there was play there was in dressing room they understand they know how to deal with the players is the people who understand the things you understand true if you want to go Formula One now to be in you never you don't know I don't know you understand should be a 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 I 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 rude going to help because you inside the club he knows the club he knows the fans if the coach listen him I think they can improve a little bit the club that takes you back to when you was a kid you turned up at Man United and this isn't about foot it's about football but it's about more about

you you turn up skinny freak and uh the hair is crazy um with spaghetti yeah spaghetti hair the teeth is all over the place right and you're the Entertainer you come you're doing skills the people they can't believe it I remember rude was the main man everybody coming after the saying Ronaldo Ronaldo after even he did couldn't believe it like everyone was like Wow and he 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 goodl looking body amazing and and

a killer in front of goal yeah I learned that in Manchester United because the last years in Manchester United I was the best scor in Champions League and in the league I was the best score too so 40 something goals the mindset is changed how there yeah but what what what made you change because I realize that the goals for our positions it's more important than step overs which is is good I know the show boot you remember Saturday oh you used to love it you used to love it show boot is nice you sit

there and watch sky and when the showb segment come on used to go yes it's it's chapters that you have in your life and you realize that things that you do doesn't worth it anymore or worth it less and I start to realize 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 coming in the first page of paper you have to score goals if not they don't put in the first page who cut

the ball in in a line it's the guys who score goals yeah just just on that point you you've played and 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 of 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 lie I see the best examples I see Gary Neville your example gigie Roy King 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 did you take for me then you are professional goodlooking is 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 gym I remember a

lot you are a tall guy but strong guy ABS with Cy and everything and of course the environment that we have in Manchester was good because everyone have his own EG but in the same time we put our EG inside the team and they know each other what they should do within a pitch to win stuff it's not coincidence that we won everything because you know your work you VI R Saha me get n Phil they know everyone know his rule in a team and this is for my opinion who change the football and the

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 coinci 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 than Champions League it's the team that plays they know their role my opinion they 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 SX Ferguson give you any poters did did maybe vanister Roy or did somebody say to you you need to change this and what did you have to work on that was different from being a Winger to become the crazy goal scorer I realize I realize that the environment that I have uh the players who I play with I learn I take something from all of them in my opinion and uh like who like what rude or 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 the to go for me was the best ever my opinion and I start to felt training with them the finishings that I start good with the left with the right when you sign you wasn't good with the left yeah but I improve yeah 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 H I'm good I

start good with the left with the right start to score goals and your confidence coming up you understand and this is why where you start to felt that Christian okay you can do it step over but focus more in 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 ey level of football or tennis or Formula 1 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 I'm not the same player that 10 years ago people it's not the same players than 10 years of course no you are the same guy you have more gray hair you are more fat for example your gray hair you are not the same why why why why now is having a good time but you understand what I mean yeah yeah you have

to adapt and if you are longevity in football you have to adapt your things and uh 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 great in the Box you've adapted your game to be great in the box now and I watched the piece of movement you done in the game in the Euros against France oh the movement the defender was looking there you was there the Finish wasn't like we normally see how did you learn to do that

movement because it wasn't something You' done as a kid in the Box you learn how who from how did you teach you learn the players that young people what you know who want to know how how do I teach myself as I told you for me it was a great move to change Portugal to Premier League with 18 years old to work with Sir Alex Ferguson to work in that contest because all the players wor average age like when I say average is like 25 above mhm 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 has 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 say look I have to take advantage of that I play with the best players in the world I have to learn with these guys and build myself and this is why I start to do it this this this this and because I'm always want to learn you understand this is why that's one thing I always

say to people he was humble at 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 in football but in life you have to be a little bit curious yeah yeah I think Chris let's talk about Real Madrid firstly what do you think of their their season last year most of the people say ah they are Lucky in the Champions no

they are not lucky they have their brain they are prepar they prepare for this kind of moments bernabel the stadiums they have a different AA you understand the energy is different 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 history there I was trophies I win trophies I and everything there I'm the the the the record of goals of the club and for me it was

a pleasure to play in Real Madrid for eight seasons eight nine seasons and to win four Champions Leagues there and uh golden boots and everything I win there so I love that that that place how impressed were you with uh Jude bham coming to Real Madrid obviously you know that path and that journey and how difficult it can be how how impressed have you been with him in his first year at Real Madrid no it's the same it's the same it's hugee huge potential huge Talent uh you go to the club that it's the environment

was clean was good and uh he grow he grow like the other ones that kaminga like Rodrigo like venicius so it's good I think he's in a team that help him to be a top player and I believe too that you're going to be one of the best the next generation is the second year hard you went you scored I think 20 something goals in your first year and I think you scored 50 in your second right that's not normal let's see the normal is in that way but they always you know mbapp go there

now how you say Madrid going to be better or going to 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 IC players uh I believe that they're going to be they're going to be one of the best teams in the world well I want to talk about when you went there but obviously you got kilan and bappe going there now um and we'll get

on to him but what 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 going to be difficult for me to get in and I was the most expensive player ever yeah like was 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 bow in Manchester United Champions

League 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 are still young but in the same way I was very very very positive POS the best club in the world I say I'm going to 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 uh with the age right now that we're going to 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 was what are going to be the problems and what does kilan mbappe need to do going in there I think you're going to 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 who were were there many many years I think not going to be a big issue for him not going to be a big problem because he his challenge he show everything what is capable to do it and I think you're going to do it well to be honest because he's in my opinion he can be the next Golden bow for the last the next years him probably Island Bellingham um Lin I think it's this new generation they have a

lot of potential but let's see if they their 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 going to 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 some people say oh he finished goals they say whatever they want but do you see all that you do you listen to it do you

hear it do you see it and use it as fuel sometimes but real to be honest I'm 39 in in and enough half 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 even even if I will win the Euros I will continue my anger will maintain the same you understand it doesn't matter for me if you win or if you lose I will stand up the next day and I will continue bro

if I won the Euros at 39 years old bro the the cigar the feet would be up the the the whiskey I would be doing it all man and I don't understand how I can't and I played elite football I just still can't it surprises me it astounds me sometimes when I hear you 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 too you know I have fans whatever world all 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 walk them yeah I want I want to make them happy you know and I'm still I don't know when I'm going to finish and another thing that I learned since you play more you learn many many many things and uh one things that I learned in a few years is like enjoy the moment enjoy the moment VI leave the moment because you you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow so I know that I'm

still looking good I mean not bad not bad I look good you know I feel that I still can dribbling still shooting score goals jumping the day that I start to feel that I'm not produced 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 at I scored 16 goals this season now you're going to go 6 6 Z wow now you're going to speak me about five goals you don't score in ARS what's going on what's the problem I

scor 1003 30 I score one I'm the most goal scorer in the world history but I will I will put the level even I I will put the level even I my challenge is to be 1,000 goals you're going to put to 1,000 I want to reach 1,000 goals in H how old you going to be then when you're playing still well I will try 41 I we don't know yeah this is why I told you I want to leave the present but if I'm not have injury yeah touch this is for me it's the

most important I want that with one different all the goals that I score they have video so I can prove that it's you're a bastard you're bastard they all have video you're talking about this you're talking about they haven't got my goals all goals certifications and if you want more goals I I can bring from the training too so no problem all the go 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 young guy

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 and used to go Rio and I used to go yeah and youed go oh see I told you stupid but um and table tennis when I to slap you a little bit but are you still competitive like that now every every walk of your life yeah I was in the Red Sea a couple days ago I play Everyday paddle and me and Cristiano J yeah

you get mad is it oh you don't speak with me like for two days the same as you remember when I this is why I'm happy this is why I'm happy and even the small one M yeah they are pissed with the VIN very always piss 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 I 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 a gal I'm always one to win so I don't give nothing for free and that takes me to your son now Chris Chris Jr yes he wants to be a footballer yes this generation is difficult for you to tell them something and uh let him them to do it it's difficult your kids you you felt that is really difficult but in my mind puts you will see your daddy by example they see me every day what I do in home in a training or in a

game they say my daddy's work a lot every time you understand they see that they see that and uh but right in this moment Christian want to be football player but I not make a big pressure I make a little bit of pressure he's 14 years old how I'm going to do it it's 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 his mistakes let him do it his his things but I hope so in the future

he 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 press in our sons because we are famous and because you've been able to give him a different life to what you had yeah we we 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 that in that tournament and you were crying um what was that like because you got some people saying ah why is he crying is he ego it's this it's that what what what is the reasons behind it and how do you feel now about looking back and 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 bad is normal and if you speak about Cristiano you're coming in a first place 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 why do you think many things there's goals football tropies trophies

family way lifestyle everything because people say why they Fallen because they in some way they like me you understand I think and they criticize all this going to exist and it's part of the business for me this is is not a problem your question was inos why you crying 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 how your feelings if for example I cry the day that I missed the penalty which is I believe that o did a fantastic save

okay but let's interpret it that I missed the penalty when I cry it's not because I quite because I felt that if I don't score that penalty and if Portugal will be eliminated they GNA 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 thinking 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 going to falling down on me they're going to say that we fa because Christiano Miss I didn't even think about that I swear to God I fa 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 it's not I saw you looking into the crowd was it like your mom and your kids exactly I know that gets me emotional in the World Cup I cried during the national anthem my mom screaming and it all came like

this moment what a moment and I special moments is emotional Pro moments when you saw your mom that 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 the people like or not you think I'm going to change now our Christian self he's always I'm going to change now you think with nearly 40 years old I'm going to change of course no 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 is getting old you know why because I didn't score the a goal and and the rest and the past qualifi you scored like 10 goals 10 goals in 25 and before the Euros I scored two goals against Ireland but this is hard real even even if I will score in Euros not will change what Cristiano are you people try to to hiid and stuff and speak bad listen I don't go no 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 is why is Christian playing 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 like guess the critics always is going to exist

but the people forget one thing Chris 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 penalty skids 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 going to shy away I'm going to be I'm going to be here even if I miss I will shoot you understand and I scor two goals a decision are

you are you want is that what you're thinking about your teammates then you're thinking about I'm going to show you listen confidence to give you confidence I'm real I'm always will be like that I'm never going to 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 Crum I which is is I understand some people they don't want to shoot pen 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 the the worst part not always is the the good part if you ask me you you want to score during the game yes but doesn't happen what I'm going to do I'm going to cry I'm going to finish my career because some two rats criticize me the world two Rats 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 going to take my shine away because to guys from television that nobody knows who is them criticize me what will you miss though man you're going to have to give up this game one day and I know you're you're the kind of a guy who wants to play to 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 what would be one of the couple of things that you go you

know what I'm going to miss that like I I I miss when I go into a stadium on the big moments I think the I'm not g I'm going to miss I'm not going to have the adrenaline that score a goal or to be in a bit to be nervous you know to be I think I'm want to miss that because other parts I'm you know I'm in a good control I have people around me I have good business who give good I have good things good incomes that but I think that of football never

going to exist more this is why I'm going a little bit farther than football because with 40s you say I give everything yeah you understand 40 or 41 or for two it doesn't matter you say I give my body for 25 five years of football I cannot give more because you know the H don't allows to go more further 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 a present I do it other part I prepare my business area which is going very very very well well I will be Miss of course I will miss probably I will be a little bit uh lost for lost but listen what I'm going to do you think I'm going to cry with all life that I have yeah maybe a little bit cuz I'm I become more sensitive but I will be a little bit like that but

I have other things to worry another going to be another chapter of my life which is a business part that I'm EX 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 will be will be good will be interesting and I I I will be prepared for that was good man he he's it's not even his first language you know what I mean so he was just saying there he's like he finds it really difficult but so it's

so easy we got way more than we thought we was going to get I got to be honest so um that was nice he just 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 you hear it man's going to get he said he's going to get a th goals he said thing he said he's going to get a th000 goals is he mad but you can't bet against him the SK that's the thing he

says it there's a glint in his eye but I don't think there's many you can't really bet against him because physically he looks he takes so much care of himself so it's like you could play for three or four more years easy listen man take care nice to see man all right see you soon yeah [Music]