"I know who I am" - When Cristiano Ronaldo provided classy reply after Dybala told him he's hated in Argentina
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most celebrated names in football, but with that much fame also comes a bit of bitterness and envy.
The Portuguese superstar has enjoyed a trophy-laden career, representing the likes of Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.
As he now plies his trade in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) for Al-Nassr, Ronaldo's former teammate Paulo Dybala shared a story from their time together at Juventus.
Paulo Dybala on a chat he had with Cristiano Ronaldo: “On a trip to a stadium, I sat down to talk with Cristiano and said, 'You know I'm honest, in Argentina we hate you a bit, for the way you are, the way you walk and your stigma but you really surprised me because the Ronaldo I… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/GwKMnFD6YL
Dybala told Cristiano Ronaldo that he was "hated" in Argentina - a fact that he was quick to laugh off. Recalling the interaction, the Argentine said:
"On a personal level, I was surprised for good because I did not know him, none of us knew anything about him. Even in the previous Champions League we were knocked out against Real Madrid and we had crossed paths."
Dybala then explained how his perception of Ronaldo changed once he left Madrid for Turin in 2018. He added:
"But then we found something else, he is an excellent guy, very sociable and friendly inside and outside the locker room. Always ready to talk, to listen, that surprised me, being an important figure, they are not always like that."
"Once I sat down to talk to him, we were travelling. I said 'look, if I'm honest, we in Argentina hate you a bit, because of your personality, your way of being, then you really surprised me because I found something else'. He laughed because he said 'I know that's the way it is, but I know who I am, I'm used to being criticised for that'."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala were teammates at Juventus for three years between 2018-21. Together, they won two Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. Dybala now plays for fellow Serie A side AS Roma, having left the Old Lady due to a lack of playing time.
Ronaldo, on the other hand, saw his second stint at Manchester United come to a sour end. His relationship with manager Erik ten Hag and the fans had deteriorated beyond repair, prompting the club to terminate his contract. He then joined Al-Nassr on a two-year deal in December 2021.
Cristiano Ronaldo pledges his allegiance to Al-Nassr
Following a rather disappointing season in the SPL where Al-Nassr lost out on the title to rivals Al-Ittihad by five points, rumors about a potential exit for Ronaldo started to surface. However, the Portuguese star was quick to quash the talk and committed his future to the Saudi club.
In his words:
"I am happy here. I want to continue here and I will continue here."
Ronaldo also praised the SPL and its progress, saying:
"Life goes very well, the league is good. The big players are all welcome. If this happens, the league will improve."
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Cristiano Ronaldo announces he’s not leaving Al Nassr despite Newcastle links: “I am happy here — I want to continue here and I will continue here”. 🚨🟡🇸🇦
“Life goes very well, the league is good. The big players are all welcome. If this happens, the league will improve”. https://t.co/xfuGYGiERb
Having joined Al-Nassr just six months ago, Cristiano Ronaldo has enjoyed a positive start to life in the middle-East. So far, he has scored 14 goals and provided two assists in 19 appearances across competitions. He will be raring to go and perform to the best of his abilities in his first full season starting in August.