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.
“it doesn’t matter who believes or doesn’t. what matters is that you keep going, even when it’s hard.”
— 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: May 2026