Cristiano Ronaldo is playing arguably the best football of his career. And Manchester United fans will be thrilled to hear the Portuguese superstar has pledged his future to the club, promising to repay the English giants for the faith shown in him after a difficult season on and off the pitch.
Having suffered from the tragic death of his father in September, Ronaldo was the subject of false rape allegations in October and was banned by UEFA for an abusive gesture towards Benfica fans in Lisbon as United crashed out of the Champions League in December.
In an honest and emotional interview, Ronaldo recently talked to the Manchester Evening News on the effect his father’s death has had on him and how he intends to repay the belief United have shown in him by winning trophies with the club.
Ronaldo admits that losing his father has been extremely difficult to cope with and that it has affected him both on and off the pitch. "Obviously it has been really, really hard to take since my father died. Psychologically it was very tough," he said.
"If you are not feeling well mentally because of something as awful as that, you will take that on to the pitch whether you like it or not and whether you are strong or not. It will affect you no matter what."
"I loved him the most in the world and it was a very difficult time for me. I had some poor matches because, psychologically, I wasn't right for matches," he admitted."But life goes on and I am looking to the future. These things happen to everybody. Nobody has a heart of iron. That’s life. To cope with it is one of the experiences in life that make you stronger."
Emotional occasion
Speaking before United’s Carling Cup final win over Wigan – in which Ronaldo scored – it was clear that this would be a very emotional occasion for the winger, being the first final since the passing of his father.
"Of course, it will be in my mind initially on Sunday. When you are at finals it is always nice to look around the stadium and see people you know and to know people who mean a lot to you are there."
"But this time he won’t be there and I know that will be tough to take. It will be difficult. But he will be with me in my heart. I will think about him and I know he will be looking down on me and I would like to win it for him. I want to repay United’s faith in me."
Despite signing a new 5-year deal with the club before Christmas, recent press speculation has suggested that a move to Juventus could be an option for the 21-year-old Portuguese star in the summer.
However, Ronaldo has refuted any talk of a move and vowed to repay United for the belief they have shown in him since his £12m move from Sporting in 2003. "United have supported me all the way this season and for that I am grateful,” he said. "They have stood by me and been there for me and I want to repay them for that. They were also the only club that showed 100 per cent commitment towards me. They brought me to England and tried to make me a better player and they have worked hard and put the work in to do that with me. There is nobody else who could make me what I am now and I am really thankful. I will repay the faith.”
Ronaldo has admitted though that the club will be looking to win more trophies in the near future. In the three years that Ronaldo has been at United, the club has won just one FA Cup before the recent Carling Cup success.
“At the moment I am still very disappointed because Manchester United are the biggest club in the world but I haven’t got the Premiership title yet,” he said."But I have many years ahead of me and I am sure that I will win it one day with United. I really believe there are so many things to be won out there with this club and I want them so badly. I have won the FA Cup with United but I am thirsty to win more and bigger trophies.”
Having been knocked out of the Champions League by Benfica and lost in the FA Cup recently to rivals Liverpool, Ronaldo remains positive and is looking ahead."I am disappointed we’re not in the Champions League and the FA Cup. But that is all in the past. We can't change that but we can change and affect the future."
My game has matured at Manchester United
The former Sporting star also believes that his overall game has improved during his time at Old Trafford, after some early criticism from sections of the British press for taking too much time on the ball.
"My game has matured. I admit I did over-indulge on the tricks at times. I know the fans think I do it too much but I want them to know I am working on it." "did it at the wrong times. I know the crowd love it at the right times and I have tried to concentrate on that."
"If we are drawing or are in trouble then that is no time for me to be doing some fancy footwork. I hope people saw at Liverpool last Saturday that I kept it to a minimum because it wasn’t the right moment, or the right thing to do. It is all part of the learning process I am going through with Manchester United."
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