Gerard Piqué assures that the image that the public has of Cristiano Ronaldo is in no way similar to what the Portuguese forward is like in reality: "Maybe he was being very sincere what he said about being got at because he was rich, good-looking and a good player. Perhaps he was right. I know him and he's a very pleasant guy, but his public image isn't like him at all", he said during a football debate entitled 'Footballers vs Journalists'.

The Barça defender also gave an insight into many players' apparently arrogant behaviour: "It looks like we're being distant, but it's a protection barrier we put up to not get hurt. Criticism can be hard to take. When you win all is just great, but when you lose it's all so cruel."

The player assures that when he speaks to the press, he is not out to be controversial: "Many times I walk into the press room thinking that I'll just say stuff we always come out with, but then I get hot under the collar and I make the headlines."

Here is a heart-warming tale if there ever was one.

According to Spanish daily sports newspaper AS, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, the current holder of the Fifa Ballon d'Or, has done the honourable act of paying for an operation needed for a 10-month-old boy with cortical dysplasia, a brain condition that can cause 30 seizures a day.

Young Erik Ortiz Cruz, a Real supporter, required the €60,000 procedure to remove a part of his brain, before a series of treatments that cost €6,000 each time. Little Erik's case came to Ronaldo's attention when he was asked to donate some boots for a charity auction, and the Galatico went one better and agreed to pay for all of the treatments.

Ronaldo, recently named in a poll by goal.com as the richest player in world football with an estimated wealth of €148 million, has shown his kind nature before - he also paid for a nine-year-old's cancer treatment in 2012.

He may have a museum dedicated to himself, but it seems Ronaldo has not lost touch of reality.

According to Spanish daily sports newspaper AS, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, the current holder of the Fifa Ballon d'Or, has done the honourable act of paying for an operation needed for a 10-month-old boy with cortical dysplasia, a brain condition that can cause 30 seizures a day.

Young Erik Ortiz Cruz, a Real supporter, required the €60,000 procedure to remove a part of his brain, before a series of treatments that cost €6,000 each time.

Jack Daniels wrote:

According to Spanish daily sports newspaper AS, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, the current holder of the Fifa Ballon d'Or, has done the honourable act of paying for an operation needed for a 10-month-old boy with cortical dysplasia, a brain condition that can cause 30 seizures a day.

Young Erik Ortiz Cruz, a Real supporter, required the €60,000 procedure to remove a part of his brain, before a series of treatments that cost €6,000 each time.

How the hell can a 10 month old kid already support a club? Not to mention with the sickness he have.

Jack Daniels wrote:

According to Spanish daily sports newspaper AS, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, the current holder of the Fifa Ballon d'Or, has done the honourable act of paying for an operation needed for a 10-month-old boy with cortical dysplasia, a brain condition that can cause 30 seizures a day.

Young Erik Ortiz Cruz, a Real supporter, required the €60,000 procedure to remove a part of his brain, before a series of treatments that cost €6,000 each time.

How the hell can a 10 month old kid already support a club? Not to mention with the sickness he has.

Valkyrja wrote:

                       

People's champion

Yohan Modric wrote:Best player of all time. Maybe he meant the other Ronaldo?

sportsczy wrote:

Yohan Modric wrote:Best player of all time. Maybe he meant the other Ronaldo?

 Yeah he did.  He was talking about R9

Gil wrote:So Ronaldo pretty much became the stereotypical "family man" & role model overnight huh?

Doesn't even get anywhere near as much hate as he did while he was still wearing a Man U shirt. Apart from Barca fans, Messi fanboys & his own supporters anyway.

Zealous wrote:

Gil wrote:So Ronaldo pretty much became the stereotypical "family man" & role model overnight huh?

Doesn't even get anywhere near as much hate as he did while he was still wearing a Man U shirt. Apart from Barca fans, Messi fanboys & his own supporters anyway.

Bitter haters like Mamad et al don't really represent the fan base. The Bernabeu adores him and anyone who understands Madridsmo likes Ronaldo.

I wouldn't say that Ronaldo has become anything over night, if anything he's been the same guy since the birth of his son (which had the biggest impact on his life and what type of man he wanted to be) it just that now after years of being insulted and disrespected by everyone people are now going "well we've been really harsh on this guy, I mean he has a lot of good qualities."

He is the people's champ

RealGunner wrote:Ronaldo will equal Ferenc Puskás if he manages to score twice tomorrow against Schalke.

Puskás scored 242 goals in 261 appearances with Real Madrid while Cristiano’s figures stand at 240 goals in 235 games. The Portuguese forward is the only player in club history to average more than a goal per game (1.02 per game) and while Puskás spent eight seasons at the Bernabéu, Cristiano is almost level with the legendary Hungarian after five.

When he finally does overtake Puskás, Cristiano will become the fourth top scorer in Real Madrid history after Raúl (323), Di Stéfano (307) and Santillana (290).



Commander

We are behind you

Gil wrote:So Ronaldo pretty much became the stereotypical "family man" & role model overnight huh?

Doesn't even get anywhere near as much hate as he did while he was still wearing a Man U shirt. Apart from Barca fans, Messi fanboys & his own supporters anyway.