Interviewer: And tonight, a visit – Cristiano Ronaldo. Good evening, Cristiano, come over here, 'cause I can't card you…
Interviewer: By the way, do you think that they give- that they punish you more than other players in La Liga?
Cris: No, it’s all the same. We’re professionals, and we know how football is. But I don’t think that the players I go up against are malicious/harm me with malicious intent, it’s just a part of football.
Interviewer: Uh-huh. You’ve been in our country for about a year, you’re settled down – are you happy, satisfied?
Cris: Very happy. The truth is, I’m very content/happy to live in Spain – for the people, for the football, and of course for the game as well, which is the most important, and I’m very comfortable here.
Interviewer: And why are you not so noticeable on the pitch? It seems like you’re upset with half the world!
Cris: Upset? Is that what it looks like?
Interviewer: That’s what it seems like – that’s what they say.
Cris: The truth is, if that’s what it looks like, it’s not. I – it’s simply the way I am, but I also don’t – I do what I like the most, play football.
Interviewer: Your coach, Mourinho, says – and it surprised me – he says ‘Football has taken from me more than it’s given’. It robs you of privacy – isn’t it a bit much? Does this happen to you?
Cris: Well, there are differing opinions. Hmm, that’s what he thinks, and we must respect his opinion. Me, when I go onto the pitch and when I train, I go happily, because – what else do I like to do so much?
Interviewer: And isn’t it a bit frustrating to have coincided with a team that breaks all the records like Barca?
Cris: It’s difficult. The truth is that Barca is very strong. But I’m convicted that Madrid is also strong, and we’re going to fight until the end and see, if, maybe.
Interviewer: I have to ask you your prediction for the Copa final, which is the next meeting [between Barca and RM].
Cris: Well, I – at the very least, I think we have to step onto the pitch with the idea that we have to win. If we didn’t, I should rather just stay at home. But we know Barca has a great/grand team; we’re going to try everything to beat them, but I’m convinced that we will have a little desire and that we will win.
Interviewer: Well, no matter what, it’ll be a great game. Thank you, Ronaldo, and we’ll be back with you in a minute in Tiempo del Deporte.
Interviewer2: Good evening, how are you all doing, I’m here with Cristiano Ronaldo – do you know to which question Matías was referring?
Cris: Always the same one.
Interviewer2: What is ‘always the same one?’
Cris:, laughing: If I’m better than Messi or if Messi’s better than me. Always the same one.
Interviewer2: And?
Cris: Well, I didn’t answer because you know better than me.
Interviewer2: Messi isn’t better than you, then?
Cris: That’s not – that’s not the important part. He does the best for his club, as I do for mine, and that’s why – two different players that try to help their clubs.
Interviewer2: Did you know you’re beating Messi, Cristiano? You have 10 million followers on facebook.
Cris: No, I have more.
Interviewer2: More? I’m short, you keep getting more all the time.
Cris: Yes, there are more.
Interviewer2: Two million on twitter, more or less?
Cris: In facebook, I think about fifteen, I’m not sure. Twitter, too, it’s good.
Interviewer2: So, taking these facts into consideration, it occurred to me – when was the last time you didn’t get recognized in the street?
Cris: Well, that’s a question they’ve never-
Interviewer2: Nobody’s ever asked you?
Cris: No.
Interviewer2: So you always get recognized on the street, then?
Cris: No, I mean, nobody’s ever asked me that question before. I don’t know, it’s a good question. It’s difficult, I don’t know – I imagine that people who don’t like football would not recognize me. But I’m also not always paying attention so as to notice.
Interviewer2: Well, I’m impressed with the stir you’ve caused here at Antenna3, and I imagine that, apart from the whole world knowing who you are, all over the planet, the question in Spain, and especially among fans of Real Madrid, is – are you going to try to win the league from Barca? I know the Copa del Rey, you told Matías that you’re going out to win it, because if you didn’t you’d stay at home-
Cris: Exactly.
Interviewer2: That’s said and done. But La Liga? How is La Liga?
Cris: Well, the truth is that it’s a little more difficult. Barca is seven points ahead of us, but we have to think that everything’s possible in football. We have to keep on fighting until the last round. We know the challenge will be difficult, but it is possible.
Interviewer2: Very difficult. Please look over here – you will find everything that is still ahead of you – especially everything that is still ahead of Barcelona: these are the matches that will be played by Pep Guardiola’s team. Evidently, you can not fail if you want to win La Liga. Why don’t you give it a look and point out two defeats and a draw.
Cris: Let me tell you, it’s complicated.
Interviewer2: Here, let me help you. I imagine that El Clásico at the Bernabeu, that one you expect to win?
Cris: Well, we want to win. We’re playing at home, we have a good chance. Yes, I want to win.
Interviewer2: Now pick a draw. Where can Barcelona draw?
Cris :Where?
Interviewer2: Yes.
Cris: I think that all the teams – La Liga is very competitive. You have a very clear example: we drew with the lowest-ranked team. Sometimes – eh, that doesn't mean anything, but they could lose in Valencia, Sevilla, which are truly more difficult adversaries, but it’s too difficult to say.
Interviewer2: But La Liga isn’t lost?
Cris: No. We can’t think it’s lost. Like I told you before, we have to think that it’s possible. Difficult but possible.
Interviewer2: Evidently, you’re optimistic regarding this season, but if you look at things pessimistically – can you see yourself ending the season without titles?
Cris: No. It doesn’t cross my mind. It could happen, yes.
Interviewer2: If it happens?
Cris: I don’t want to think that it’ll happen. I’m confident that we will win something important.
Interviewer2: Would you leave if this happened? Or do you see yourself here, at Real Madrid-
Cris: I’m going to be sincere, I never thought, this year – I’m confident that we’re going to win. I’m generally a positive person.
Interviewer2: And is it also because of Mourinho’s arrival?
Cris: Yes. Also.
Interviewer2: Your antidote.
Cris: Yes, as a person with a lot of experience-well, his titles speak for themselves; a born winner, and, like me, he takes a while/takes his time.
Interviewer2: When you talk of Mourinho, one gets the feeling that he’s the manager with whom you’d go the ends of the world, who you’d always follow. Do you also have that feeling?
Cris: I do. The truth is that, for me, maybe, I’m sure that in Madrid he’s going to do very well, and I want to continue in Madrid. I like to work with the best.
Interviewer2: Mourinho would be like a ‘sports father’/father in sports to you?
Cris: Why not?
Interviewer2: No, I say the ‘sports father’ thing because – you know what Pandiani said about-
Cris: Yes, yes, I laugh at those things.
Interviewer2: Have you heard what Pandiani said about you?
Cris:. Well, I…
Interviewer2: No, no, don’t worry, we’re going to watch it. Listen to it – watch.
~Clip of Pandiani~
Cris: *laughs* What do you want me to answer?
Interviewer2: Whatever you like.
Cris: Please. Please.
Interviewer2: You don’t want to say anything.
Cris: It doesn’t make sense to waste time with things like that.
Interviewer2: How do you take the way you’re received at some of the fields here in Spain. I know you’ve been asked this question several times, but I’m interested in knowing – what do you think when that happens?
Cris: They receive me – phenomenally. Imagine. No, it’s a little difficult. The truth is that, when we play away, the people, from one side, applaud me – I feel affection, caring from those persons, but when I step inside the pitch, it’s totally different.
Interviewer2: The way you’re received – have you sat down and thought to yourself: Well, maybe I should change the way I am, the way I play, move on the pitch, the way I express myself. Have you received advice on this – from your friends, the club? ‘Hey, maybe you’d better tone it down a bit when you’re on the pitch?’
Cris: Firstly, I don’t change the way I am. Whoever likes it, likes it, and whoever doesn’t- doesn’t/shouldn’t talk to me, or doesn’t/shouldn’t watch the match. That’s the important part. I have my personality, my character, and those who know me know what I am. I don’t need people to tell me I need to change; I know when I do wrong/badly, when I play badly, and when I do bad things. I’m a person – I’m always ready to learn, to listen to an opinion and learn from that opinion. That’s why I feel like a very well-measured person, very happy, playing at the best club in the world, with the best teammates in the world, and I want to continue this way.
Interviewer2: Very well. It’s perfectly clear to me now. And do you know what else is perfectly clear to me? That you’re going to love – and I say it’s clear to me, because I’ve seen it before – this montage that we have made for you, and I would appreciate if you would comment on it with the first word that pops into your head. Here you have it – we’re going to see it. The first thing that occurs to you.
Cris: This photo, I look like my son.
Interviewer2: Yes?
Cris: Yes.
Interviewer2: Exactly like your son.
Cris: Yes.
Interviewer2: Your son has changed your life.
Cris: Very much.
Interviewer2: When you started with Sporting, yes?
Cris: Yes, when I started – when I first started playing professionally in Europe, in the national team.
Interviewer2: And the famous abs. And here, the tears of Cristiano at the Eurocup.
Cris: Yes. Also my mom and my brother, when we won the English League, the Champions League.
Cris: The Balon – for not having won anything, it’s not bad, the Balon D’or.
Interviewer2: That one’s already yours. Well, Cristiano, we at Antenna 3 hope that you will go on adding to this album of your life in the best manner possible.
Cris: Thank you very much.
Interviewer2: Good luck.
Cris: Thanks
Interviewer2: This is your home, you can come back whenever you like.
Cris: Thank you. It’s an honor for me to be here with you and express myself so that people will know who I am.
Interviewer2: Thank you, Cristiano.
Cris: Thank you very much.