CRISTIANO RONALDO’S bombshell interview with Piers Morgan has sent the world into a frenzy – and part 2 is now OUT.The footballing icon missed Portugal’s final World Cup warm-up match due to a stomach bug.
But fans can catch Ronaldo on TalkTV where he spills the beans on his fierce relationship with Argentinian legend Lionel Messi.
Has a pop at Erik Ten Hag for his limited playing time against Manchester City and Tottenham.
And shockingly tips bitter rivals Arsenal to win this season’s Premier League title.
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Get all the latest news and gossip coming out of Cristiano Ronaldo’s interview on SunSport
Morgan reacts to Ronaldo interview
Piers Morgan has described his Cristiano Ronaldo interview as his “all-time favourite”.
Speaking on social media, he said: “That was my all-time favourite interview.
“A sporting icon baring his soul as never before & doing it with such raw honesty & passion, knowing it would attract a lot of heat but believing it was time to speak out.
“Thanks @Cristiano – you’re a class act, on & off the pitch.”
Credit: TalkTV
Ronaldo hails former manager Solskjaer
Cristiano Ronaldo heaped praise on ex-Man Utd teammate and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his interview with Piers Morgan.
He said: “I love Solskjær. I think he was a top person, because what I keep inside my heart, it’s the heart of the persons.
“And Ole for me, is a top person. It’s hard to assume [the role] after Sir Alex Ferguson, but I think he did a good job.”
Credit: EPA
Ronaldo slams Ten Hag
Cristiano Ronaldo blasted Erik Ten Hag’s “excuses” as he unleashed another scathing rant at the Manchester United boss.
When asked about not being brought on when the club was being thrashed by Manchester City last month, Ronaldo, 37, said: “Excuses, I see as excuses.
“He can have a different opinion than me. They choose the players that they think are better for the team.
“I respect that but excuses all the time have short legs, he cannot excuse all the time. It’s things that don’t make sense.
“Okay, you don’t put me against Manchester City because of respect of your career and you want to put me on for three minutes against Tottenham. It doesn’t make sense.
“He don’t respect the way I should deserve. But it is what it is. This is why probably, the game against Tottenham, I left.”
Ronaldo on possible link-up with Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he could line up next to Lionel Messi in a Paris Saint-Germain shirt in January.
The 37-year-old icon has more or less severed ties with “disrespectful” Manchester United.
In a bombshell interview with SunSport columnist Piers Morgan on TalkTV, Ronaldo revealed he feels betrayed by the Red Devils.
And the Portugal legend has now revealed that PSG could be the next destination in his glittering career.
Morgan asked if there was a world where Kylian Mbappe leaves the club for Real Madrid and it leaves a space for him up front at the French champions.
CR7 said: “It’s… everything is possible in football. Why not? For sure. They will sell a lot of shirts.”
Ronaldo interview ends
That’s all from the second and final part of the Cristiano Ronaldo interview!
What did you make of it?
Credit: Talk TV
Ronaldo on writing his own ’12 Rules for Life’ book
“Why not? For the future, probably. I want to educate not only my family but my fans. As you know, I have a lot, millions of fans.
“Probably for the future I want to do some book. But not the type of book, but to help people; how to be, how to maintain longevity. How to win, which is the most important.
“I have experience to inspire people for that. I think I am a role model and I can help many, many people in that way, if they want my help.”
Ronaldo on relationship with the controversial Jordan Peterson
“I’m a huge fan of his. I read his book, 12 Rules, and I felt that he’s a really interesting guy and I love to meet smart people. [He is a] fantastic man. And I learned a lot.
“He gave me some advice. We had a nice, strategic conversation. Not only for the moment of my life, not only for football, because my life is not all football; I am a businessman.
“I have many important things in my life. And when you are surrounded with these people with you, people that make your life more interesting, they reach something in your daily life.
“I appreciate [that] because it’s that kind of people that think outside the box, which I appreciate. We had a nice conversation, strategic conversation.”
Ronaldo on retirement plans
“I want to play two or three years more, maximum. I want to finish at 40; a good age.
“I don’t know the future. Sometimes you plan one thing for your life and as I said many times, the life is dynamic and you never know what’s going to happen.”
Ronaldo on chance of Arsenal winning Premier League title
“Manchester [United] first, and if not, Arsenal is some team that I like to see play. I like the team. I like the coach. I think they have a good team.
“And if Manchester United don’t win the Premier League, I will be happy if Arsenal do.”
Ronaldo on long-time rival Messi
“Amazing player, is magic, top… As a person, we share the stage 16 years, imagine, 16 years. we share.
“So, I have great relationship with him. I’m not friend of him in terms of, what I mean friend is the guy who was with you in your house, speaking on the phone, no, but it’s like a teammate.
“He’s a guy that I really respect the way he always speak about me.
“Even his wife or my wife, my girlfriend, they always respect and they’re from Argentina. My girlfriend is from Argentina. So good. What I am going to say about Messi? A great guy who does great things for football.”
Credit: Getty
Ronaldo on Qatar controversy
“Exactly they should concentrate it in, in all competitions. All the national teams, the people to be welcome in Qatar, and I see, I see a good tournament to be honest.
“I think Qatar; they are prepared. They are prepared for that, and will be weird to play in the beginning of the season. Yes. But in the same way, a challenge.
“I think it’s to be honest, it’s good. I feel good. I feel with good energy.”
Ronaldo on the World Cup
“I am very optimistic. We have a fantastic coach, we have a good generation of football players.
“I’m looking forward that we’re going to it an amazing World Cup… [It’s] gonna be tough. Extremely difficult. But everything is possible. But of course we’re gonna compete.”
He went on to admit France, Spain, Argentina, Germany and Brazil are the teams to beat.
He then added if he helped his team to win the tournament he would retire on the spot.
Ronaldo also said England have “a chance”, much like Portugal.
Ronaldo on what Sir Alex Ferguson would make of recent events
“I don’t speak with him like one month ago, but he’s always on my side. He always understand me.
“He knows that, he knows better than nobody that the club is not on the path they deserve to be. He knows. Everyone knows. The people who don’t see that is because they don’t want to see; they are blamed.
“The fans, they are always the answer, and the passion for the game. Manchester belongs to the fans, but they should know the truth.
“The infrastructure, they are not good. They should change.”
Credit: Getty
Ronaldo on relationship with Man Utd fans if he leaves
“It’s hard, it’s hard for me to say that I will not be back to Manchester United. But regardless, as you say, it’s… let’s see what’s going to happen.
“But as I told you before, the fans, for me, always will be on my side, will be always in my heart. I see during the days when I go to the streets, the love, the passion, that people have for me, the respect.
“I hope that they never forget the things that I will continue to do. Not only in the past, but in the present, too. Manchester will be always on my side, the fans will be always on my side; it doesn’t matter what’s going to happen.
“And I appreciate the love that they send for me all the time, even when I’m done playing. Even when they criticise me they always will be in my heart.
“So thank you for all the support. I hope to see you soon. And they always will be in my heart.”
Ronaldo on turning down Saudi Arabia offer
“It’s hard, it’s hard. But in the same way, I thought that I was very happy here; that I still capable to score goals… I still believe that I can score many, many goals and help the team because I still believe that I’m still good and capable to help national team – even Manchester United.
“But if you don’t feel around you that the energy’s on your side, it’s difficult.
“Of course, the criticism is gonna exists all the time. ‘Ah he’s 37, he’s not the same’.
“But I want to see if some guy of my age can maintain the level that I show… Yes, in this moment, I feel very, very good…. I believe that I’m going to do an amazing World Cup and I’m prepared, physically and mentally.
“But Piers, it is what it is. Life’s good, I’m good, my mental [outlook] is good. I’m happy to do this interview with you. I know we’re gonna generate many polemic.”
Credit: Getty
Ronaldo on playing at the top level
“For me it’s a stupid question. What do people say? They are not the same. Nobody is the same. Day by day we’re getting old. Every one of us, you understand, it is normal.
“You have to adapt. And I think nobody in this game have this brain that adapts with his age. I’m not, I’m not want to be cocky to say that I’m the same as when I was 20. Of course, no.
“But I adapt and be smart to know my strength, what I’m good to do. And I’m still playing the high level and I score goals, and I will continue to score goals.
“If my mind is clear and happy. And if the people surround me, they’re helping me to be successful player, especially the coach, the president, the directors.
“But when you feel that the energy don’t go surround you it’s difficult for you to be yourself, which is what’s happened with me. But what they say the last three months is completely garbage and wrong.
“They say that they offer me this and that, and many presidents and directors speak about, they reject me. It’s a complete lie, they lie. Because this is not what’s happened. I have many clubs, not many, a few clubs that they want me to sign and I didn’t go because I feel comfortable here. This is the truth.”
Ronaldo on 350 million euro offer from Saudi Arabia
“It’s true, yes it’s true…but what the press keeping say, the garbage, is that nobody wants me, which is completely wrong.
“And I was happy here to be honest, I was motivated to do a great season here. But they continue to repeat that nobody wants Cristiano.
“How they don’t want a player who scored 32 goals last year, with national team?”
Ronaldo on future after the World Cup
“It’s difficult to tell right now, it’s because, we, my mood is right now to the World Cup. It’s probably my last World Cup, of course, my fifth World Cup.
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen after the World Cup, but as I told you before, and I will say again, the fans will be always in my heart.
“And I hope they been in my side, even if I back, or if I’m not back, or if I stay or whatever. Nobody’s perfect. Episodes in the life we all have is part of the human beings, is part of me to be a human being and father as well. I always will commit mistakes.
“But I don’t know, it’s hard to tell right now what’s going to happen to World Cup because my focus is for the World Cup, for the Portugal national team.”
Ronaldo on Man Utd owners, the Glazers
“The owners of the club, listen, they don’t care about the club. As you know, United is a marketing club. They will get money from that, but they don’t really get it from sport.
“I have not spoken to them [the Glazers] since I went back. The players want the best from the club, this is why I came back and why I love the club.
“But things inside the club don’t help United reach the top level like City and Liverpool. Arsenal now, for example.
“It will be hard for Manchester to be at the top of the game for the next two or three years with this structure.”
Credit: AP:Associated Press
Ronaldo on telling his son about Man Utd suspending him
“I remember arriving home and Cristiano see me and say ‘Daddy do not go to the game?’ I say ‘No, because the club punish me with three days’. And he did like ‘How they’re going to punish you if you are the best player in the world and you’re not gonna play?’ I said ‘No I’m not gonna play because I have not been behave’. And he look at me like, ‘My Daddy not be behave, what?’
“In one way, I was good because I was like, more relaxed, but in the same way, I feel very disappointed because, okay, I regret, I apologise, I’m not perfect, I made a mistake. But suspend me three games, for that, I think it’s too much. And then they make fire for the press, which is really disappoint me.”
He went on to say: “Don’t tell me that the top players, the guys who want everything, the key players will play three minutes.
“Come on, this is unacceptable after what they keep saying before, that they respect me, that they do this, they do that. For me it was not respect, this is why I take this decision I regret. I apologised to my teammates for the situation, I did a post, an Instagram, I regret to left from the stadium.
“I regret my teammates know what I felt, and I said to them apologised, but in the same way, I’m not regret to take the decisions to not come on… The coach didn’t have respect for me.
“So this is why the relationship, it’s in that way. He keep saying in the press that he come to me, he like me blah, blah, blah but that it’s only for the press. 100%.
“If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never going to have respect for you.”
Ronaldo on not playing against Manchester City
“Excuses, I see as excuses. I saw many things that I don’t want to criticise him [for]. He can have different opinions to me. They choose the players that they think are better for the team. I respect that.
“But excuses all the time, you know; the excuses have short legs and you cannot excuse all the time, which is things that don’t make sense.
“Okay, you don’t put me [on] against Manchester City because of respect of my career and you want to put me [on for] three minutes against Tottenham. It doesn’t make sense.
“I think he did it on purpose because, for example, in a national team and [at] the other clubs, if the coach wants to put me [on for] five minutes, if someone was injured or if they really needed me, I will help.
“But in that way I felt provoked not only because of that game, but before.”
Ronaldo on Ten Hag relationship
“The feeling he always mentioned to me, that I didn’t need the pre-season so I should wait for my opportunity. I really understand that should, well, okay, I understand.
“But I’m not going to give you points, but you don’t do it the same procedure to every players. I’m not gonna mention players but they don’t do it the same way.
“Second, I understand that becoming a new job, Manchester was so bad the last five years that it should make they should clean the house, let’s say in that way.
“But the way they approach, the way the press make this so big, it’s because… probably the communication wasn’t the best. But I really understand in the beginning because I didn’t do the pre-season, I don’t start to play, but going more further than that, further than that.
“Other things happen that people they don’t know. And I’m not hiding that the empathy with the coach is not good. I’m honest.
“He don’t respect the way I should deserve. But it is what it is. This is why probably, the game against Tottenham, I left.”
Credit: AFP
Ronaldo on leaving early vs Rayo Vallecano and Tottenham
“Piers I will be honest with you, it’s something that I regret to left from the stadium. Probably, or maybe no, I don’t know. It’s difficult to tell you 100% but let’s say I regret, but in the same way I felt provoked by the coach.
“Not allowed for me, a coach to put me in three minutes in a game. Sorry, I’m not that kind of player. I know what I can give to the teams.”
“Me and 8 players, but they mentioned only my name…everyone do that.
“Last year, many players did the same. In that game eight players do the same but they only speak about the black sheep which is me, which is, I completely understand, okay, it’s done, I apologise to the coach and for me, the chapter was closed.”
Credit: Getty
Ronaldo on lack of pre-season
“I had a very bad pre-season. I had some problems on vacation, where one of my children had broncitus. I was in Majorca and she had to spend one week in hospital.
“People made up stories that I wanted to go and travel. People need to realise that I am a human being and want to be with my family. I am a human being and travelled through difficult moments.
“I spoke with the director and president of United and they kind of didn’t believe that something was going wrong. I am never going to swap my family’s health for football. Never. That really hurt me.
“They [United] doubted my words. We had one week in hospital because of Bella’s problems. I didn’t go to pre-season because of that. It was not fair to leave my family for pre-season.”
Ronaldo on whether money or competition drives him
“The record, the adrenaline. But Piers, let’s be honest, the last year’s football changed. I see football now as a business to be honest.
“Sometimes Georgina’s expression, that ‘I don’t understand that they treat you players like a piece of meat.’ I say, ‘Yes, you say everything is true’.
“I see football, Piers, the last years, as a business. I saw many, many things that I’m disappointing.
“The passion for the game is still intact. But in the same way, I saw other things as well. Which surprised me but in the same way. It’s part of the business because if you see the world, how it is at the moment, it’s all business.”
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