Cristiano Ronaldo On Moving On
The highly anticipated transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid has become an unwanted reality for many Manchester United fans. Cristiano had been the number one guy for a few years and his absence will be obvious next year.
“After we won the European Cup, I thought there is no more I can achieve here,” Ronaldo told the News of the World. “And when you have done all you can, you know it is time for a new challenge. I stayed one more season and it was nice to make it three titles in a row but it was my dream to play for Madrid.
“Of course, I have not gone for the money. It is a new challenge and a great honor to play for Madrid. Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world and they pay top wages, so it is nothing to do with money.
“The white shirt is a great honor and one I am looking forward to. It is, I think, every boy’s dream to play for Real. I grew up watching them play with Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo and all the other greats and there is something about that white shirt that just attracts you. It was a great dream and, fortunately, one that is coming true.”
“When I won World Player of the Year, it was amazing. For a lot of people, that would be their peak. But I promise that is not my peak. I will get better than that. I believe I am going to improve because I am just 24. If I didn’t want to improve at 24, that would be a loser’s mentality.
“To go down as a Real Madrid great is very hard because they have had so many exceptional players. That has to be my aim, though. To go down as the greatest. It will take lots of work but that is my target. If you go down as the greatest at Madrid it means you are one of the greatest of all time.
“When you play for a club like Manchester United or Real Madrid then there is always pressure but none of the pressure comes from my price tag. That is a figure the businessmen at Madrid and United agreed on and that is nothing to do with football. My pressure comes from giving the fans what they have come to expect at Madrid and from playing for the most famous club in the world.”