"I always wanted to play for Real Madrid because of it's grandeur and success" Realmadrid.com Cristiano Ronaldo was the special guest on Telemadrid's "Casta de Campeones" (Hearts of Champions), during which he discussed everything from his childhood to his arrival at Real Madrid. Early days "I would leave school, drop my things off at home and then go play with older kids. They always called me a cry baby because I would cry if I lost. My family always gave me the strength to carry on. My mom means the world to me and she always let me choose my choose what road I would take." "When I arrived in Lisbon, where there were so many cars and people, I thought I was in another country. The ball got away from me in my first training session, but I kept my cool, but after three or four touches, the coaches saw that I was in a different class." According to Paolo Cardono, Chief Scout at Sporting Lisbon, Cristiano "always wanted more. He stuck out due to his technique and speed, but what caught my attention the most was his personality." "When I left for Lisbon, my whole family cried. The first two years were very hard and I almost returned home, but my teammates helped me come out on top." Lisbon, Manchester & Madrid "Ferguson promised him that he would play at least fifty percent of the matches, and with that vision and personality there was little doubt, and in the first year they considered him the best player on the team," says his representative, Jorge Mendes. "My debut was my best moment at Manchester." "Ferguson is a coach who understands his players and supports them in everything he can. He was a father figure to me." "I always wanted to play for Real Madrid because of it's grandeur and success." "I didn't know what to say during my presentation. It all went well. I may not have looked nervous but I was." "Cristiano was quite shocked. He saw just how special Real Madrid was and that nothing would be like it used to be before he arrived," adds Jorge Valdano. Dedicated professional Spanish journalist Enrique Ortego assures that "Cristiano has the aerial game, dribbling skills and speed. He has the stuff legends are made of." "He performs at his best at all times. He can admit he played poorly, which is very important," adds Jorge Mendes. Another journalist, Javier Matallanas says that Cristiano "likes the limelight, but this season he is very focused, he is carrying out his dream and staying as healthy as possible." Jorge Valdano adds that "he proved all those who believed he was a 24-hour spectacle wrong. Rather than going from night club to night club, he goes from one training session to the next." "I am very comfortable here and excited about what is to come. Playing in the Bernabeu is unique and special, but I still have a lot of goals to accomplish. I am very happy here." "Real Madrid is an institution that asks a lot of its players, and Cristiano puts a lot of pressure on himself, so he will feel comfortable at Real Madrid. We hope to enjoy watching him play for at least a decade," concluded Jorge Valdano.

• published: 18 Feb 2010
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