“I’m surprised by what the public thinks of me” - When Cristiano Ronaldo complained about criticism ‘getting worse’ at Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo was furious with Real Madrid critics in 2017 after it was claimed that the Portuguese superstar was slowing down. He noted the criticism was getting worse even though he was performing consistently, barring a blip or two.
Ronaldo pointed to his goal-scoring numbers, highlighting how they prove he could still deliver at the top level. He also said that he was surprised how his public opinion was going down as a result. He said (via Bleacher Report):
"It seems that I have to keep showing exactly who I am in every match. I am surprised by what the public thinks of me, my numbers speak for themselves, I am an exemplary professional and I always have a clear mind. The criticism is getting worse."
Cristiano Ronaldo made the aforementioned comments after scoring a brace against Borussia Dortmund in the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League season. Los Blancos finished third in LaLiga at the end of the season but won the Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo blamed Real Madrid president for his Santiago Bernabeu exit
Cristiano Ronaldo, while in a conversation with France Football in 2018, claimed that he left Real Madrid because of president Florentino Perez. He claimed he had no support at the club and felt many from the club wanted him out.
He said (via The Guardian):
“I felt it inside the club, especially from the president, that they no longer considered me the same way that they did in the start. In the first four or five years there I had the feeling of being ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’. Less afterwards. The president looked at me through eyes that didn’t want to say the same thing, as if I was no longer indispensable to them, if you know what I mean."
“That’s what made me think about leaving. Sometimes I’d look at the news, where they were saying I was asking to leave. There was a bit of that but the truth is I always had the impression the president would not hold me back. If it had all been about money, I’d have moved to China, where I would have earned five times as much than here [at Juventus] or at Real.
"I did not come to Juve for the money. I earned the same in Madrid, if not more. The difference is that, at Juve, they really wanted me. They told me that and made it clear. The truth is that the president wanted me but, at the same time, he made it known to me that my departure would not constitute a problem," he added.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Juventus in 2018 before moving to Manchester United in 2021. He ultimately left the Red Devils after his contract was terminated in November 2022 and joined Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.