Footballer · 3 quotes with meaning
“Talent without working hard is nothing.”
— cristiano ronaldo
Interview with ITV in 2011, discussing his daily training routine at Real Madrid and why natural talent alone never guarantees success.
When I joined Manchester United at eighteen, I faced doubts from everyone. I trained harder than anyone else, arriving first and leaving last. My teammates who had won everything showed me that trophies come from discipline, not tricks. That first season changed how I understood football forever.
“I don't have to show anything to anyone. There is nothing to prove.”
— cristiano ronaldo
Post-match press conference after Real Madrid's Champions League win against Bayern Munich in April 2012.
When I moved to Real Madrid, people said I would never escape Messi's shadow. In my first season I scored 33 goals. In my second, 53. In my third, 60. I did not do this to prove anyone wrong. My mother scrubbed floors so I could eat. I owed it to her to train until my legs gave out and then train some more.
“Your love makes me strong, your hate makes me unstoppable.”
— cristiano ronaldo
Posted on his Facebook page in 2012 after scoring a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid, during a period of heavy criticism from Spanish media.
After the 2006 World Cup, half of England wanted me gone. I remember driving to training and hearing abuse from cars next to me at traffic lights. I could have asked for a transfer. Instead I decided that the next time those people saw me play, they would have no choice but to applaud. That season I scored 23 goals and won the Premier League.
Last updated: April 2026