Cristiano Ronaldo's brilliant response when asked about his son's future
Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has conquered everything there is to conquer in the world of club football.
Being at the pinnacle of the sport for the best part of nearly two decades, the Portuguese football icon is widely regarded as one of the greatest-ever players to play the game, and recently added another award to his collection as he was named the Player of the Century at the Globe Soccer Awards.
Cristiano Ronaldo has defied expectations and is firing on all cylinders for Juventus even at the age of 35, having racked up 16 goals in just 14 games across all competitions. With him turning 36 come February, he might not have much longer left at the highest level. His son Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, however, is on the other end of the spectrum.
The 10-year-old has made headlines in the past for his feats in Juventus' youth sides and could potentially follow in the footsteps of his fabled father.
Although he's admitted that he will not force him to become a footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo did reveal that he is strict regarding his diet and discipline. Speaking on his son at the Globe Soccer Awards, Cristiano Ronaldo said;
"I'm hard with him sometimes because he drinks Coca-Cola and Fanta sometimes and I'm pissed with him. I fight with him when he eats chips and fries and everything, he knows I don't like it. Even my small kids, when they eat chocolate they always look to me and, you know, we have to be strong."
"But to be honest he has potential, he is a big boy, he's fast and he's driven well. But this nothing, I tell him every time, it takes a lot of dedication, a lot of hard work."
The 35-year-old added on Cristiano Ronaldo Jr,
"Sometimes when we're at home I say 'go to the treadmill to run a bit' and after the treadmill I say 'now go to the cold water to recover to do it tomorrow again,' and it's 'daddy, it's so cold the water I don't want to do it.' But I understand it, he's only 10 years old, it's up to him."
The former Real Madrid legend reiterated that he will support whatever his son chooses to pursue, but maintained that he wants him to be the best he possibly can in that field. Cristiano Ronaldo remarked;
"I'm not gonna push nothing for him to be a football player. If you ask me if I want, yes I want, but he's gonna be whatever he wants. If he wants to be a doctor or, I just want him thinking 'I've got to be the best.'"
Juventus ace Cristiano Ronaldo says football without fans is 'boring'
When asked about what his opinion on football without the fans is at the Globe Soccer Awards, Cristiano Ronaldo admitted that he finds it to be boring to play in an empty stadium.
"I have to be honest. For me, to play in an empty stadium, it’s boring. We respect the protocols - health is the most important thing, of course - but I don’t like it. I do it because I love football. I play for my family, for my kids, for my friends, for the fans - but I don’t like it. It’s so weird to play without [fans]."
And in what was typical Cristiano Ronaldo fashion, the Portuguese also admitted that he misses being booed by opposition fans in the stadium, saying that such criticism spurs him on to do even better.
"I like it when the people boo Cristiano. When I touch the ball they ‘boooo!’ - I like it. When I go to other countries and they like other players more than me they do it: ‘Cristiano, boooo!’ I’m motivated by that. I hope in 2021 they can change that rule and see the stadiums full of fans because there’s no passion without fans."
Cristiano Ronaldo would hope to fire Juventus to the UEFA Champions League after helping them finish atop their group at the expense of Lionel Messi's Barcelona.
Also read: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo can sit at my table! - Bayern Munich ace on comparisons with legendary duo