"The World Cup has made me a better player. Now I want to be an adult on the pitch who doesn't feel the fear and doesn't have any doubts over what I can do," says the United ace
"I try to relax, stay natural and to improve and become a better footballer. The change in my game is down to a lot of work I have done with Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz on the training pitch. I would call it a new maturity, a real improvement."
Ronaldo still can't escape the `cheat' claims and they surfaced again after United's match at Spurs when he was brought down for a controversial penalty.
"It's because people think I am a diver that I lost the title of best young player at the World Cup. But it doesn't bother me. I'll just get on with things. Critics should look at the number of kicks I get in a game," he adds.
"The taunts just make me want to do better. I like feeling the hostility of the crowd, it means they are afraid of me - that I am a good player. But people must realise I have changed. I have grown up."
The `winking' episode in Gelsenkirchen when Rooney was sent off for England against Portugal threatened to force Ronaldo out of Old Trafford because of the initial reaction in England.
But immediately after the red card match Ronaldo had no worries about his relationship with his United team-mate.
"After everything that went on Wayne and I are still the best of mates. That has been proved the way we have played this season. Wayne and I are like brothers and what happened at the World Cup has just made our friendship firmer," Cristiano says. Tweet
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I agree perhaps we could have a sponsored "stay on yer feet" competition & I'd gladly give 10p for every minute Ronny could stay on his feet for a whole game. Slo-mo to prove whether it was a dive or a genuine tackle. Money raised could go towards new longer studs to help him stay upright.
A free kick had been given against Roo until Ronny got involoved. To say he had no part in getting Roo sent off is sheer make believe!
if u compare the times where he does go to ground easily to the times he stays on his feet when he gets smashed by an uncomprimising defender it is clear he isn't in the same league as drogba and robben as divers. who cares what he did for his country, wazza deserved to be sent off in all honesty, and id expect wazza to do the same if it was the other way round. they have both grown through it and are a fearsome duo for united, and thats all that matters in my opinion. give him his £160k a week.
It looked like a stamp to me at the time & Ron was playing for his country so I'd have expected Wayne to do the same in reverse. Any United fan happy to see him go is mad & never mind all this 45M fee can be spent on new players cos the Glazers should be expected to keep their word on the transfer fund. But the doubts remain especially with Lackys like Gill covering for them.
Tufty, you're a very sad, bitter and twisted individual! I sincerely feel sorry for you!
He might be a little winker but at least he's our winker.
Imposter alert, the saddos are at in again.
He obviously could teach Ferguson something about forgiveness.
Yes you are a saddo now go and play with the traffic.
Funy how Ronaldinho has changed! he is finding it tough to beat defenders nowadays; only his goals are keeping him in the game cos Ronaldo has surpassed him!! Please Give him that 160qd a week; then we will rule the world for the next decate! Larsson links so well with Rooney; i wish he was thesame age!
Ronaldo must stay even if he wants to leave. In the case he does hold the club to ransom we will welcome the confirmation of it from theclub for us to treat him as he deserves.
Alf: I take it the same applies to Owen Hargreaves? As for Rooney, well if you stamp on somebody's knackers then you deserve to get sent off!
Aping is the sincerest form of flattery, so I suppose I should be grateful I have such a big fan out there.
Well done to the saddo for leaving the capital 'O' on 'over', just in case anyone was in any doubt over who was the real Alias. Not very bright are you? Bless. One thing which rarely gets pointed out about Ronaldo is how quickly he gets up after getting kicked. Sure he goes to ground easy from time to time but he always bounces straight back to his feet unless he's taken a really heavy knock. This is in stark contrast to the amateur dramatics of Eboue, Lehmann, Drogba and Henry (against Spain in the WC). This type of behaviour, trying to get people booked, is much more cynical than trying to win free-kicks. But, unsurprisingly, the cockerney media focus on our Ronnie and ignore the more odious characters in the game. Don't know if anyone watched the Arsenal game? Well, Henry did a SHOCKING dive in the first-half but I'll wager a pint that nobody can find mention of that in ANY of the papers.
I agree Mick Ronnie gets kicked so many times and does get up pretty quickly. As for the diving it isnt that easy to stay on ur feet when running so fast and someone sticks a leg out even if they remove it in time it off balances you and sometimes its better to go with the flow than resist and break your leg in half! Im pleased to hear these comments from Ronnie as he appreciates how SAF has helped him improve and can continue if he stays - he aint going anywhere
You can tell by watching them play together that they have forgotten the World Cup incidents so not sure why some supporters still hang on to them. I think it's refreshing as well to read Ronaldo interviews because he quite often talks about being the "best in the world" whereas our home grown players such as Rooney would probably be embarassed to say such a thing. Maybe this is why foreign players often have that mental edge over English opponents because they aren't ashamed to believe in themselves.
everyone goes on about ronnie saying hes a diver,but where are the comments about drogba he shouuld win an oscar for some of his theatrics?
Well done Mick you are the only one to suss out the obvious. Iâ€<sup>TM</sup>m surprised your side kick didnâ€<sup>TM</sup>t get if first. Then again he has changed things round that much.
What no mention of Madrid, Barcelona or the grassy knoll. Fear not, Marca and As will take the words, rephrase them a tad and chuck in the odd unsubstantiated comment about dreaming in white or house-hunting in Madrid and in an instant half of you will be baying to have him crucified for disloyalty. Easy. United talk about reviewing the contract towards parity with top earner and the NOTW has a ten line 'story' about him 'demanding' £8.3m per year and it is Rio all over again. The rants will fly about 'being held to ransom' or 'owes us' and yet few seem to have the wit to understand that what United do has nothing to do with the tabloids whatsoever. I know this is not what the article is about but i am just pre-empting the inevitable rants to come
liam, good point about our players lacking in self belief. But then again, if one of them came out with a comment like that, they'd rightly get slated in the press and by the fans. Nobody likes a big 'ed.!! especially not a british big 'ed. We're suppossed to hide behind our greatness and cheer for the underdogs. Talking of 'gross tetes' did you see 'self proclaimed' King Terry Henry mocking kirkland yesterday after the own goal? what a muppet. you won't see the press mauling him over his 'unsporting' behaviour though. however, get him in a united shirt, and suddenly the press would have a field day, and drag the story out for the next 2 seasons.
Surprisingly enough there was an article on the Guardian website highlighting "grosse tete" acting like an arse(enal) to Kirkland. It also mentioned s number of other occasions when he's made a fool of himself. Celebrating in Neville's face, whinging after the CL final, pretending he'd been elbowed in the WC and stropping with Wenger when he was dropped. The title of the article was "The Disingenuous Genius" - a poncy nickname for a poncy player! I was surprised to see the great Henry come in for some stick but wasn't the Guardian originally based in Manchester?
Steve, you tempted me to have a look at what the spanish press is up to and here it is. I can provide all quotes if you want. In "Sport" they have an interview with Hugo Viana (Valencia & Portugal) and he says that "Ron has worked hrad to get where he is and it won't take him long to go to a more important team than United." Yeah I don't like this guy either! In El Mundo deportivo they have a quote from Figo saying that it depends what club he plays at on how successful he'll be, they interpret that as meaning he prefers Barcelona to Real. While in Marca they're stirring it with their barcelona mates by saying that either Etoo or Ronaldinho is on the way out. They will not let it lie!
Its easy to be a big head when you are as young as Ronaldo is and not surrounded by friends and family to keep you grounded. I guess thats why foreign players can say these things without being suitably embarrassed.
His cheating theatrics will go down well in La Liga next season.
Frank, the same Hugo Viana that failed at Newcastle and looks like hes gonna fail at Valencia having only started 2 La Liga matches? He's probably a bit bitter about his premiership experiences.
Mick, you'd also be surprised to find out that nearly everyone i speak to in france thinks henrys a 'grosse tete' as well. Seems that even in the land where arrogance is a virtue, they don't like a big 'ed either.