CR Talk

Survive......

...When I left Madeira for Lisbon I was only 11 and it was very difficult. I will never forget it.....
I used to cry every day, remembering my brothers, my parents. Looking back, the good side was that it made me learn how to survive by myself.I became independent quite young....

Your dad once said that though your family had little money, if Cristiano had a ball at his feet he was always smiling. What are your childhood memories?
That's true! I was very easy to please. At Christmas and on my birthday, I always wanted to have a football. In those days we didn't have the money to get nice presents, but if I was given a ball I was happy.

I always wanted handmade balls, because they last much longer. I had my pitch, made of cement: it was the street. I was always playing. Sometimes I'd miss school to play football, and maybe I didn't go as far as I could have at school because of that.

When I got older, all my friends used to play for clubs in Madeira. People in Madeira have a special taste for football. Everyone likes it. If you went to the bars there, everyone would be talking about football. It's the Portuguese way of life.

Sir Alex Ferguson says you're unusual for a winger in terms of build: tall, strong and athletic. Aren't dribblers supposed to be delicate?
I wasn't always big. When I left Madeira for Lisbon I remember people saying to me that I couldn't become professional because I was too short. Then, between the ages of 15 and 18 I jumped up and became as tall as I am now.

But in the days when I was playing in the street, it was always against older boys and they were bigger than me. I suffered because I had good ability. I'd be pushed or tackled hard and I was out of the game. Sometimes when I played against the older boys and I tricked them, they didn't like it. They beat me sometimes.

Was it a strain leaving home at such a young age?
When I left Madeira for Lisbon I was only 11 and it was very difficult. I will never forget it. I used to cry every day, remembering my brothers, my parents. My dialect was quite heavy because I came from an island, and was different to the other boys. Looking back, the good side was that it made me learn how to survive by myself. I became independent quite young.

Some people think you still go down too readily when you're tackled. Is this down to cultural differences?
It's a different game in Portugal. If you watch Portuguese matches on telly you'll see that straight away. But the rules should be the same everywhere. If it's a free kick the referee should give a free kick. But here, referees chose to ignore fouls a lot of the time.

So you're not trying to cheat?
No. Football is different here, with a different mentality. English football is very different. Portuguese, Spanish, Brazilian football is more technical. But I'm not going to stop trying to beat defenders in England. I don't think I should change. I think the referees here favour defenders.

Do you enjoy being at a club where there are so many young players?
There's a very good spirit around Carrington with this group of players. It's fantastic. We're at a very big club and all of us are expected to reach a different level to where we are now. We're learning all the time and I think you'll see us as much better players in a year or two. And there are still older guys here, like Ryan Giggs, who can teach us.

...... Off Court

....I'm a good singleton. I'm happy with that. At the moment, marriage is not on the agenda.....
I think you have to enjoy life to the utmost and make the best of the good things there are. I can't say I lead the life of a normal person, but nearly..........

The Heart Throb
"I get loads of correspondence," says Ronaldo with a blush. "I try to reply to all the letters if i can - with the help of my family, especially cousin Nuno. I think it's important to be appreciated by the fans, to make them happy." And which female fan is he making happy at the moment?

He's now dating English soap actress and lads mag fave, Gemma Atkinson (pictured)...right? "No, no, it's just newspaper talk. I've heard her spoken of, but i don't know her. I'm a good singleton. I'm happy with that. At the moment, marriage is not on the agenda."

The Fashionista
"Fashion fascinates me," admits Ronaldo, following in the footsteps of Man United's previous number 7. But despite baring his chest in some publicity campaigns, the pin-up says it's just a bit of fun. "I like to do those things, and if done well and something i can identify with, it's liberating, but i'm no model,"

And unlike Golden balls, Ronaldo stops short of tatoos. For now, "I don;t have any. Some people do, you have to respect that, and i could have tatoos tomorrow or in the future."

The Thespian
Often accused of theatrics on the pitch, Ronaldo admits he could follow in the footsteps of Eric Cantona when he retires. "I could see myself as an actor further down the line - that could be interesting." What kind of roles: romantic opr comic? "It depends on the situation. A comedian is more difficult, but i might be capable of doing anything. i have a wide range of tastes. it's something to think about one day."

The Food Critic
Ronaldo wouldn't be the first overseas player to express indifference to English cuisine. "I'm not a great admirer of English food, but i can eat it," he says. "I do go to restaurants but usually we eat Portuguese food at home. Many people do the cooking - my cousins Nuno and Jose, my mother, my sisters - it depends who's staying." What happens when no one's staying is anyone's guess...

The Charity Worker
A poor boy made good. Ronaldo supports humanitarian causes - like Indonesian boy Martunis, whose mother and sisters died in the 2004 tsunami. "I saw the story on tv and was very moved." said Ronaldo. "He survived alone without food for 19 days and was found in a Portugal shirt. He was also seven - my shirt number - and a Manchester United fan."

Ronaldo invited Martunis to Old trafford for a game ("unforgettable") and the Portugal squad paid for a new house to be built for Martunis and his family. Ronaldo has also made a humanitarian trip to impoverished former Portuguese colony East Timor: "I try to help whenever i can."

The Sensitive Soul
"I get most pleasure from football, being with my family, doing the good things in life has to offer, giving my utmost, and enjoying the things I do as much as i can," says Ronaldo. And on the other side of life, what makes him sad? "People dying, tragic incidents, and if I lose a game. I think you have to enjoy life to the utmost and make the best of the good things there are."

Man About town
"There are lots of things I like doing away from football. Beingwith the family, going for walks, going to the cinema, shopping. I can't say I lead the life of a normal person, but nearly." And after dark? "It would be wrong if i were going out all the time," he says. "Every player has to know when the right moment is to go out and have fun and when to stay in and rest. Sometimes I like to go out - it depends on the moment"

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