Cristiano Ronaldo news: 'I like it when fans tell me to return to Real Madrid', says Juventus ace
What's the story?
Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he likes it when fans ask him to return to former club Real Madrid, and has opened up about the criticism he has received despite achieving so much in his career.
In case you didn't know...
The Portuguese talisman ended his nine-year association with Los Blancos last summer and promptly moved to Serie A giants Juventus for a hefty fee.
The 34-year-old left the Santiago Bernabeu as the club's all-time top-scorer having netted a staggering 451 goals for the club. His goal-scoring exploits have helped the club to sixteen titles, including four Champions League titles and two LaLiga trophies.
The European champions suffered immensely after his departure and crashed out of the LaLiga race, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey under managers Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari.
The disappointing results later prompted the Real Madrid administration to re-appoint Zinedine Zidane, who left the club in the same summer as Ronaldo.
The heart of the matter
Speaking to Spanish newspaper El Pais, Ronaldo has revealed that fans often come up to him in the streets of Madrid and ask him to re-join the club.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner said, "I always walk with pride because I know people love me, and I know that I've given a lot to the club, while the club also gave me plenty of things as well. When I walk through the streets in Madrid, people tell me to return because it's my home and I like to hear that."
When asked about the criticism he has received in his years at the top, Ronaldo replied, "They are always judging me and saying that I'm done and that I should quit, but you always want to surprise them so that they see that the beast is still here."
What's next?
Since his move to Turin, Ronaldo has won the Serie A and the Supercoppa Italiana with Juventus and is currently seeing off his side's remaining games in the Italian top flight.