Full interview between Cristiano and Rio. The most sincere Cristiano talks about his past, present and future to one of his best friends in football
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00:00So, Chris, we're in this fantastic studio. I love it, man, and you know what we're going to do?
00:07I've seen these things here and I think every time we go to change the subject...
00:10It's called the button, right?
00:11The button, yes. I'll hit it.
00:13You hit it when you want to change.
00:14You can hit it.
00:15Well, let's get started, man.
00:19Right, Al-Nasr, Saudi, you went there, huge news, you changed everything when you went there.
00:26What were the most difficult things to adapt to when you moved to Saudi Arabia from Europe?
00:31Rio, as you know, my whole life revolves around challenges.
00:35I left home when I was 11 years old to live in a big city.
00:39So, for me, it's easy because I changed Madeira to Lisbon, Lisbon to England, England to Italy, Italy...
00:49Spain.
00:50For me, it's not a problem, you know, it's part of my life.
00:54I'm used to having that kind of life.
00:57And, to be honest, it was very easy for me.
01:01You can speak about religion or the weather, but no country is perfect.
01:08So, for me, the adaptation was easy and I really love to be there.
01:15That's exactly what I was thinking when I saw you go.
01:18And I saw that the news began to come out about Saudi Arabia.
01:22And I saw a lot of the Western world pointing fingers, saying negative things.
01:27I thought, are we that good? Are we that perfect that we don't have problems?
01:32Everyone has problems, man.
01:34But it's about facing the problems and then taking a step forward.
01:38I mean, is there anything that made you think when you went there?
01:41Well, I didn't expect that, I mean, positive or negative things.
01:45As I told you before, for me, all the countries have their problems.
01:51It's normal.
01:52They have fantastic things there.
01:54To be honest, I'm very happy to be there with my family.
01:57I saw you at the beach.
01:58Yes, for example, the Red Sea, which is my second home or even the first.
02:06Because it's an amazing place.
02:09It's like a diamond.
02:11I love being there.
02:12When are you going to invite me, man, me and my family?
02:14We'll talk about it, sure.
02:15You'll love it.
02:16You and your family.
02:17Trust me.
02:18It's one of the most beautiful places I've been to.
02:21Yes, yes.
02:22And not just that part of there.
02:24For example, Alula, which is somewhere in the desert.
02:28Have you been there?
02:29Yes, of course.
02:30An incredible place.
02:31When I went there, my friend started crying.
02:33It's beautiful.
02:34We went into the hotel and my friend was sitting there.
02:38Yes, do you know why?
02:39I looked at her and she was crying.
02:40Because it's sacred.
02:42How do you say sacred?
02:45Spiritual.
02:46Yes, spiritual.
02:47It's spiritual.
02:48You can feel the energy there.
02:50It's a place that has something spiritual.
02:53Different.
02:54I felt it too, really.
02:55Yes, I felt it.
02:56And they have that.
02:57They have the Red Sea.
02:58They even have snow in the mountains.
03:00People don't believe it.
03:01Snow in Saudi Arabia?
03:02Yes, they have snow.
03:03They have everything.
03:05So it's a lovely country.
03:07I love being there.
03:08My family loves being there.
03:10As I told you, the adaptation for me wasn't too difficult.
03:14And I'm happy there.
03:16What are the differences between the leagues?
03:18Because everyone says, oh, the league is not good.
03:20Tell us, what is the difference?
03:22All the leagues are different.
03:25In my opinion, people speak more.
03:31But all the leagues, in my opinion, they have issues.
03:36But in the league, I tell you, 100%,
03:40when you go to interview another player who plays there,
03:44they will tell you that it's not easy.
03:46It's not easy.
03:47It's very difficult.
03:48Plus the weather, which is very hot.
03:52And you know that when it's hot,
03:55it's more difficult to maintain the level of the game.
03:59But in my opinion, the league is very, very good.
04:02And they keep growing and improving.
04:05And I'm happy because I was the country's pioneer in football.
04:11So I'm very happy about that.
04:13Yes, a bit like Beckham in the United States with the MLS.
04:18What he's doing there, what he's done, has been magical.
04:20And what you're doing here is creating a movement of people who want to come.
04:25How much pressure did you feel when you were the first real star
04:29to go out and tell everyone,
04:31come on, follow me?
04:32How much pressure was that for you?
04:34You know, when I was young, I had a different personality.
04:41I believe in myself.
04:44In others, not only in football, but in other areas too.
04:48To be honest, it was zero pressure.
04:50I didn't have any pressure.
04:53When I moved there, I didn't feel any pressure.
04:56For me, pressure...
04:57When everyone went crazy, crazy.
04:59You know, for me, the pressure is the people who were in a war,
05:03that didn't have food to eat,
05:05that deal with the guns during the night, a shot.
05:10For me, this is the real pressure.
05:12As I told you before, I left my house at 11, 12 years old.
05:15I cried every day.
05:16So honestly, I'm not going to tell you to be cool or whatever.
05:21But the pressure was zero.
05:22Of course you have the other problems.
05:24Does it make sense?
05:26Will it work?
05:27Professionally.
05:28Professionally.
05:29But in other ways, to be honest, I felt free.
05:34Because any place I play, I show my level.
05:40And I knew I was going to be there.
05:42I will also show my level.
05:43I will improve the league.
05:45And I knew that the players would follow me.
05:48I knew it.
05:49Because not only in financial terms,
05:52which is the main point, you can say,
05:56but also the football culture.
05:58I knew the Saudi football culture was good.
06:01Because I have friends who played there before.
06:04Coaches, Portuguese coaches who were there.
06:07And of course, if you ask me,
06:09do you expect someone so big to start playing there?
06:12No.
06:13But I will wait for football to change thanks to me.
06:17Did you...
06:20I don't take it out of my head that you cried
06:22when you left home at 11 years old.
06:24How was that whole process and that feeling?
06:27Because I know how close you are to your mother.
06:30When people ask me about you,
06:32the first thing I say is that you are a man of family.
06:35And the connection you have with your mother
06:37is like the one I had with mine in the past.
06:39So for any young person watching,
06:41how difficult was it to leave your mother?
06:43How did you deal with that?
06:45For me, it was the main point.
06:48The big change in my life was suffering a lot at that moment.
06:53This is why I am more willing and capable
06:56to deal with the bad moments,
06:59which we all have bad moments.
07:03When I moved with 11, 12 years old there,
07:06it was very, very hard for me
07:09without my family, my mother, my father,
07:12my brothers and sisters.
07:14Imagine your kid, 11 years old,
07:17going to London, to, I don't know, another country.
07:20It's difficult.
07:21My kids play an hour away from me
07:23and I'm going crazy.
07:24It's difficult.
07:25But my mother and my father always supported me
07:27and said,
07:28listen, Cristiano,
07:29if you want to follow your dream,
07:31it will be difficult for us,
07:32it will be difficult for you,
07:34but we give you the opportunity.
07:36And I left it and it was hard.
07:38And I'm blessed and I'm happy
07:42because having gone through that difficult moment,
07:45now I'm able to, you know,
07:48another chapter of my life
07:50to face all the pressures
07:52that we still have in football,
07:54out of football,
07:55with my family, with my wife, everything.
07:58Hey, listen, let's go to Euro 24.
08:00Hold on.
08:01Let me see that.
08:02Sorry, Euro 24.
08:04And I couldn't come and talk to you
08:06without asking how,
08:08now that you've had time to reflect,
08:11when you were in that tournament
08:13and you cried,
08:17how was that?
08:18Because some people said,
08:19oh, why is he crying?
08:20Is it his ego?
08:21Is this, is that?
08:22What was the reason?
08:23And how do you feel now,
08:25looking back?
08:26It's much easier to criticize
08:28than to appreciate what you really have,
08:30you know.
08:32We know how the press works.
08:34If you speak well, you don't sell.
08:36You have to speak badly,
08:37it's normal.
08:38And if you speak about Cristiano,
08:39you come on top.
08:40It's normal,
08:41because I'm the most
08:42followed guy in the world.
08:45It's not because,
08:46only because of my pretty face,
08:48but in everything.
08:49You know,
08:50why Cristiano is the most
08:51followed person in the world?
08:52Why?
08:53Why do you think?
08:55Many things.
08:56Goals,
08:57football, trophies,
08:59lifestyle.
09:00Family, road, lifestyle, everything.
09:02Because people say,
09:04why do they follow me?
09:05Because they,
09:06in some way,
09:07they like me.
09:08They like me.
09:09You understand?
09:10I think,
09:11and the critics are always going to exist,
09:12and it's part of the business.
09:14For me, this is not a problem.
09:16Your question was about the Euro.
09:18Why did you cry?
09:19Why did you cry?
09:20For example,
09:21I spoke about that last night.
09:22When you have passion
09:23for what you're doing,
09:24you can't worry about
09:26how you feel.
09:29If, for example,
09:30I cry the day that
09:32I miss the penalty,
09:34which I think Oblak
09:36did a fantastic job.
09:38Okay, but let's interpret
09:39that I miss the penalty.
09:41When I cried,
09:43it's not because I feel
09:45that if I don't score that penalty,
09:48and if Portugal gets eliminated,
09:50the world would collapse on me.
09:53It's not because of that, Rio, no.
09:55These people don't know me.
09:57They don't know me.
09:59Imagine
10:01your last
10:0327 penalties.
10:05You missed.
10:06If you miss at that moment,
10:08it's like
10:10bad for yourself.
10:12You don't even think about that.
10:14The people who come to the stadium,
10:16your kids, your mom, your girlfriend,
10:18everyone.
10:19I felt sad because of that.
10:21You think I'm thinking
10:23that if I miss the penalty,
10:24Portugal is going to fall on me.
10:26They're going to say
10:27we failed because Cristiano missed the penalty.
10:29I didn't even think about that.
10:30I swear to God.
10:32I felt it because I pressure myself.
10:34You know me.
10:36Since I was 11 years old,
10:38I always pressure myself.
10:40Cristiano, you're the best player in the world.
10:42In my mind,
10:43I'm always thinking that way.
10:45And I would pressure myself a lot.
10:47You have a good side when things go well,
10:49okay.
10:50But when things go wrong,
10:52you feel that too
10:53because I pressure myself too much.
10:55I pressure myself too much.
10:56But I love that.
10:57I know how to deal with that.
10:58But when I missed the penalty,
11:00I felt bad for myself.
11:02With the fans,
11:03with the family,
11:04not because of other things
11:06that people say,
11:07that I...
11:08It's not that.
11:09I saw you looking at the crowd.
11:10Was it your mother?
11:11Your children?
11:12Exactly.
11:13Because I know how that moves.
11:14In the World Cup,
11:15I cried during the national anthem.
11:16I heard my mother scream.
11:18And everything happened
11:19like you did at that moment.
11:20And I cried.
11:21It's a special moment.
11:22They're emotional moments.
11:24When you see your mother.
11:25Exactly.
11:26You have to express what you feel.
11:28You can't hide in that kind of stuff.
11:30For me,
11:31if you hide,
11:32you lie to yourself.
11:34You have to be yourself.
11:35It doesn't matter
11:36if people like it or not.
11:38Do you think I'm going to change now?
11:40Our Christian is always,
11:41I'm going to change now.
11:43Do you think
11:44I'm going to change
11:45when I'm almost 40?
11:46Of course not.
11:47Either you like it
11:48or you don't.
11:49It's part of life.
11:50For me,
11:51it's not a problem.
11:52In the national team,
11:53it was like that.
11:54People say,
11:55it's over.
11:56He's 39.
11:57He's getting old.
11:58You know why?
11:59Because I didn't score the goal.
12:01And the rest?
12:02The past?
12:03In the qualification,
12:04you scored 10 goals.
12:0510 goals.
12:0610 goals.
12:07And before the Euro,
12:08I scored two goals against Ireland.
12:10But this is part of it, Rio.
12:12Even if I had scored in the Euro,
12:14that's not going to change
12:16what Christian is.
12:18You see,
12:19people try to hide
12:20in things
12:21and speak badly.
12:22Listen,
12:23I don't score.
12:24No problem.
12:25Tomorrow,
12:26I'll play against another team
12:27and I'll try to score.
12:28If I don't score,
12:29in the next game,
12:30I'll try to score.
12:31So it doesn't affect you
12:32if you don't score goals?
12:33Are you the same person
12:34as always?
12:35I always want to score.
12:36For me,
12:37that doesn't matter.
12:38To play against France
12:39and to play against Etifac,
12:40for me,
12:41it doesn't matter.
12:42It doesn't change anything.
12:43In my mind.
12:44If you don't score,
12:45how are you?
12:46How do you behave?
12:47Are you a Van Nistelrooy?
12:48Do you remember
12:49when he didn't score?
12:50It was a nightmare.
12:51We could win 3-0
12:52if he was sitting like that.
12:53Yes.
12:54Are you like that?
12:55I have a friend
12:56You can be upset
12:57in the moments
12:58after the game.
12:59If we win,
13:00it will always be better.
13:01But if we win
13:02and I score,
13:03I'll be a little bit happier.
13:04I have to be honest.
13:05I'm not going to be like that.
13:06It's normal.
13:07No.
13:08Or if you lose the game,
13:09you have to show
13:10during that period
13:11that you're angry.
13:12This is part of it.
13:13But the next day,
13:14I'm very capable
13:15and I learned
13:16that if you're angry,
13:17you're angry.
13:18If you're angry,
13:19you're angry.
13:20If you're angry,
13:21you're angry.
13:22If you're angry,
13:23you're angry.
13:24If you're angry,
13:25you're angry.
13:26So, I learned
13:27that, listen, Christian,
13:28come on,
13:29life goes on.
13:30The past is past,
13:31it's not going to come back.
13:32The present is the best gift
13:33we have in our life,
13:34the present.
13:35You don't know
13:36what's going to happen tomorrow.
13:37You don't know,
13:38I don't know,
13:39he doesn't know.
13:40So live the present.
13:41How long does it take
13:42for that moment
13:43to go away then?
13:44Does the game end
13:45and you can change your mind?
13:46I guess you're like
13:47how did we do?
13:48Shit!
13:49I fucked up.
13:50And how long does it take
13:51for that moment
13:52to go away
13:53for the next game?
13:54Sometimes, in some games and in some moments, you get a little more frustrated.
13:59For example, after the Euro, when we were eliminated in penalties against France,
14:03it takes two days because it's a special moment, pressure, but that's it.
14:08Listen, on the third day, go back to the gym, work, because you have more to show.
14:14You understand? Life goes on. You cannot live in the past.
14:18I'm very good at that, you understand?
14:20Sometimes I learn over the years that, listen, Cristiano, let's go.
14:24Because pain you're going to have all the time.
14:27Uncertainty and constant work, constant work, constant work.
14:31It doesn't matter what's going to happen, what's going to happen in your life.
14:34You have to go on. That's how I see life, and football in particular.
14:37Portugal's performance in the Euro 24.
14:40What do you think? Now you've had a little time to reflect.
14:43I saw you as one of the four or five favourites to win.
14:48When you lose in penalties...
14:51This year I've lost three competitions by penalties.
14:57Who's going to tell me that this year I'm going to win three trophies?
15:01It could be a sign. You never know.
15:03This is football. You know football as much as I do.
15:08It's like that. Football is like that.
15:10You've lost penalties, but the previous game we won in penalties.
15:14That happened.
15:16For me, I can say it was an average tournament.
15:22But if you win in penalties, you play the semi-final against Spain.
15:25Semi-final? Okay.
15:27People will understand much better if you're eliminated for Spain.
15:30Or not. You never know.
15:32Semi-finals were like the limit.
15:36But in my opinion, we lost in penalties against France.
15:40We controlled the game. We had the best chances.
15:44It's football. It's difficult because no one likes to lose.
15:47But from my point of view, Portugal had an average performance.
15:52We can always do better.
15:54But it's a lesson for the future, in my opinion.
15:57You're finished. They say.
15:59Some people say, you're finished.
16:02They say what they want.
16:04Do you see all that? Do you listen to it? Do you hear it?
16:06Do you see it and use it as fuel?
16:09Sometimes. But, Ryo, to be honest, I'm 39 and a half.
16:14I care less about what...
16:17Because even if you do it well, they criticize you.
16:20And criticism is part of your journey.
16:23Do you understand?
16:24So I don't care about that.
16:27Because even if I had won the European Championship,
16:30I would have continued.
16:32My hunger would stay the same.
16:34Do you understand?
16:35I don't care if you win or you lose.
16:38I will stand up the next day and I will continue.
16:41Brother, if I had won the Euro at the age of 39,
16:45the pure thing, the feet on the table, the whiskey,
16:49I would be doing it all, man.
16:51I don't understand how I can't.
16:53And I played elite football. I still can't.
16:55It surprises me.
16:56It amazes me sometimes when I hear you get up every day
17:00as if you were 18 years old.
17:02It's hard to explain.
17:04But I also like to make people happy.
17:07I have fans all over the world.
17:10And I see their eyes when they see me.
17:13Just when I score goals.
17:15And they do it on the street, always.
17:18And I want to do it, yes.
17:20I want to make them happy.
17:22And I'm still...
17:23I don't know when I'm going to retire, if you ask me.
17:26Of course, I'm closer to finishing than...
17:29I have...
17:30Now that we're talking about finishing, let's talk about this.
17:33Let's talk about longevity and the rest of your career.
17:37And one thing I learned.
17:39Since you play more, you learn many, many things.
17:42And one thing I learned in the last few years
17:45is how to enjoy the moment.
17:47Enjoy the moment.
17:48Live the moment.
17:50Because you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow.
17:53So I know that I still look good.
17:56I mean...
17:57It's not bad. It's not bad.
18:00I look good.
18:01I feel good.
18:02I still shoot, I still shoot, I still score, I still jump.
18:06The day that I start to feel that I'm not producing anything,
18:10listen, I pack my bags and I go away.
18:13But it's hard.
18:14And of course, as I told you,
18:16I don't want to be...
18:18cocky.
18:19I scored 60 goals this season.
18:21Now you're going to...
18:2260 goals?
18:236-0.
18:24Now you're going to talk about five goals
18:26that you don't score in the Euros?
18:28What's going on?
18:29What's the problem?
18:30I scored 130 goals.
18:32I'm the most...
18:34the player with the most goals in world history.
18:36But I will put the level even higher.
18:39I will put the level even higher.
18:41Soon I will do 900.
18:43And after I will do 1000.
18:45And I want to see...
18:46Yes!
18:47You're going to reach 1000?
18:48I want to reach 1000 goals.
18:51How old are you going to be when you reach that mark?
18:5340?
18:54Well, I'm going to try 41.
18:55We don't know.
18:57This is why I told you
18:58that I want to live in the present.
19:00But if you don't have injuries...
19:02Touch wood.
19:03This is the most important thing for me.
19:05I want that.
19:06I want that.
19:07For me, the best mark that I can have in football
19:11is to reach, first,
19:14my 900 goals.
19:17And then my challenge is to reach my 1000 goals.
19:21With one difference.
19:23All the goals I've scored,
19:24they have video.
19:26So I can prove that...
19:28You're an asshole.
19:29You're an asshole.
19:30They all have video.
19:32You're talking about yourself, Stefano, Pelé...
19:35Listen, I respect everyone.
19:37My goals...
19:38All the goals...
19:40Certified.
19:41And if you want more goals,
19:42I can bring them from training as well.
19:45So no problem.
19:46All the goals with video.
19:48And I will prove it to people later.
19:50They prefer this player or this one.
19:52This is the best.
19:53I don't care.
19:54I remember when we were younger,
19:56every phase of your life was competition.
19:58In the changing room,
19:59arguing with Nani,
20:00with Anderson and the guys
20:02about a tomato or something stupid.
20:05And you used to say,
20:06Río, that's good.
20:08And you used to say,
20:09I told you it was a mango or whatever.
20:12In table tennis.
20:13Yes.
20:14When they beat you.
20:16Are you still so competitive now in your life?
20:20I was in the Red Sea a couple of days ago.
20:22We played padel every day.
20:23Ask him.
20:24Me and Cristiano Jr.
20:26We got mad.
20:27Really?
20:28He didn't talk to me for like two days.
20:30It's the same as you.
20:31Yes, the same.
20:32This is why I'm happy.
20:33This is why I'm happy.
20:34Even the little one,
20:35Mateo,
20:36he gets mad with his veins.
20:38Always pissed.
20:39But I like it.
20:40This is true.
20:41This shows he has personality.
20:43But seriously,
20:44my kids are like me.
20:45And I don't teach them.
20:46They see me as an example.
20:48Because sometimes,
20:49when I lose,
20:50I get mad.
20:51Sometimes I cry.
20:52It depends on the moment.
20:54And they're a little bit the same.
20:56So even with my kids,
20:57I compete.
20:58Even with Gio,
20:59I always want to win.
21:00So I don't give anything for free.
21:01Do you remember when Nani used to cry?
21:03He cried too much.
21:04He'd slap him.
21:06Do you remember?
21:08Let's try it again.
21:09Oh God, I love that.
21:11I want to do it all day.
21:12Let's go to European football
21:13and European football clubs.
21:15Obviously,
21:16you have a great history with Real Madrid.
21:18You have a great connection there.
21:20Some fantastic years.
21:22First of all,
21:23what do you think about last season?
21:25Real Madrid?
21:26La Liga...
21:27Madrid looks very, very good.
21:29It's the kind of team
21:31that doesn't rush under pressure.
21:34This is why I think
21:35most people say
21:36they are lucky in the Champions League.
21:38No, they are not lucky.
21:40They have their brain.
21:42They are prepared.
21:44They prepare for this kind of moment.
21:46The Bernabeu,
21:47the stadium,
21:48they have a different aura.
21:49The energy is different.
21:51The energy is different
21:52when the big teams go there.
21:54They score a goal at 85 minutes,
21:5690 minutes.
21:57The pressure is a lot.
21:59For me,
22:00it's the best club
22:01in the history of football.
22:03Now,
22:04if you say that Madrid
22:05will be better or not,
22:06we don't know.
22:07Let's see, let's see.
22:08You know,
22:09Mbappé will go there now.
22:11I think Madrid will keep strong.
22:14But I don't know
22:15if they will be better than last season.
22:17I don't know.
22:18Only God knows.
22:20But they have a fantastic team,
22:22fantastic players.
22:24I think
22:26they are going to be
22:27one of the best teams in the world.
22:30How do you get
22:31those incredible numbers
22:32every season?
22:33How did you do it?
22:35You scored a ridiculous amount
22:36of goals every year
22:37in the pressure cooker
22:38of the Bernabeu.
22:41I won trophies,
22:42I won everything.
22:45I have
22:46the club's goal record.
22:48And for me,
22:49it was a pleasure
22:50to play in Real Madrid
22:51for eight seasons,
22:53eight or nine seasons,
22:54and to win
22:55four Champions League there.
22:58And golden boots
22:59and everything.
23:01I went there,
23:02so I love that place.
23:04I want to talk about
23:05when you went there,
23:06but obviously
23:07now you have
23:08Kylian Mbappé
23:09going there.
23:11Let's talk about him
23:12because it will be similar
23:13for him.
23:14When you got there,
23:15how was the pressure
23:16in the dressing room?
23:17Because I remember
23:18we spoke years ago
23:19and you said,
23:20there is a great Spanish
23:21contingent there.
23:23And I was the most expensive
23:24player in history.
23:25Yes, how was that?
23:27It was pressure.
23:28But at the same time,
23:29I believed in myself.
23:31I said, listen,
23:32if I was the best player
23:33in the Premier League
23:34and I won the Ballon d'Or
23:35in Manchester United,
23:36the Champions League,
23:37that's the league.
23:40But I knew
23:41I would do it well.
23:42I knew it because,
23:43as I told you,
23:44I believe in my abilities,
23:46I believe in my talents.
23:48Was this difficult
23:49because it's a different country?
23:51The adaptation,
23:52I was 24 years old.
23:54But at the same time,
23:55I was very, very,
23:56very positive.
23:58It's the best club in the world.
24:00I said, I'm going to make history
24:01in this club
24:02like I did
24:03in Manchester United.
24:04It was a challenge for me
24:05because, as you know,
24:06I'm a person of challenges.
24:09I like to show people
24:10that they are wrong.
24:12Do you understand?
24:13Even with my age now,
24:15which we'll talk about later,
24:17I like to show
24:18the opposite
24:19of what people think.
24:21So it was a big challenge for me
24:23and I was very, very happy
24:24to play for Real Madrid
24:25in that period.
24:27What are going to be
24:28the problems
24:29and what does Kylian Mbappé
24:30need to do
24:31when he arrives?
24:33I think he'll do well
24:34to be honest
24:36because the club structure
24:37is good,
24:38solid,
24:39you understand?
24:41And they have a great coach.
24:43And the president
24:44who has been there
24:45for many, many years.
24:47I think it's not going to be
24:48a big problem for him.
24:49It's not going to be
24:50a big problem for his talent.
24:51He's shown
24:52everything he's capable of.
24:54And I think he'll do well
24:55to be honest
24:57because, in my opinion,
24:59he could be
25:00the next golden ball
25:01in the next few years.
25:03He probably
25:04Haaland,
25:05Bellingham,
25:06Vinicius,
25:08Lamine.
25:10I think this new generation
25:11has a lot of potential
25:13but I believe Mbappé
25:14will do very well.
25:16I saw your team
25:17and I was fascinated
25:18obviously with you.
25:19The age you're playing at,
25:20the level you're playing at.
25:22And Pepe,
25:24tell me about your relationship
25:25with him,
25:27your posse.
25:29How are you both?
25:30Give me a bit of information
25:31about how you've maintained
25:32the level you've also played
25:33at at 40 years old.
25:36Yes, 41.
25:37It's crazy.
25:38I couldn't do that
25:39at 40.
25:40Rio, I played extra time.
25:43One game
25:44and four days later
25:45I played extra time again.
25:47People don't appreciate it
25:48because they say,
25:49why are you playing?
25:50Why are you playing?
25:52Okay, but what am I going to do?
25:54And against Georgia
25:55I played 60 minutes.
25:58So I didn't play
25:59every minute.
26:00It's longevity.
26:01It's the mentality
26:02of when you reach
26:03a certain age.
26:04The difference is your mind.
26:06It's not the body anymore
26:07because the body
26:08has memory, you see?
26:10If you treat your body
26:11well for 10 years,
26:1215 years,
26:14it's going to respect you.
26:16If you treat it well,
26:17it's going to be in your mind.
26:18It's always going to be
26:19in your mind.
26:21If you want to play
26:22four, five years more
26:24because in all the sports
26:27the average age
26:28is between 30 and 40.
26:31They finish.
26:32If you see tennis,
26:33Formula 1,
26:34the best players,
26:35football,
26:37it's that age
26:38when you start to lose
26:39testosterone.
26:40Whatever.
26:41Your hormones and everything.
26:43It's normal.
26:44It's the process of life.
26:46But Pepe and I
26:47are a good example
26:48because we treat the body
26:49well for many,
26:50many years.
26:52He's a bastard
26:53on the field, right?
26:54Yes.
26:55But outside the field
26:56he's a very good guy
26:58and he's also very professional.
27:00You finish the season.
27:01You win everything.
27:02You win the Ballon d'Or.
27:04What is your mentality
27:05when the season is over
27:06to start again?
27:08For me,
27:09it all comes down
27:10to one word.
27:11Enthusiasm.
27:13If you don't have
27:14enthusiasm in your life,
27:16this is why last night
27:17I was having dinner
27:18with my family,
27:19with my mom
27:20and we spoke about
27:21some of the situations
27:22that happened in the Euro.
27:24It's the enthusiasm
27:25that I still have for the game.
27:27I'm addicted to football.
27:29I'm addicted to scoring goals
27:31and playing at a good level
27:32even with my age
27:34because I love this game.
27:35It's crazy.
27:36It's crazy?
27:37Yes.
27:38Damn it.
27:39Relax now, man.
27:41Talking about longevity
27:42and to keep playing,
27:43someone cut their career
27:44too soon.
27:45I think it's someone
27:46who could have
27:47kept playing.
27:48Yes.
27:49You played with him
27:50in Real Madrid.
27:51How was it?
27:52Listen, it's the way
27:53he sees football,
27:54the way he sees his life.
27:55We don't know
27:56what happens behind
27:57the football,
27:58what happens in his life.
27:59We have to respect it,
28:00you know?
28:01Because people now
28:02see more longevity
28:03in people.
28:05But not all of us
28:06are the same,
28:07you understand?
28:08I respect his decisions
28:09because he's the kind
28:10of person who says,
28:11I will do that
28:12and I will do it.
28:13You understand?
28:14I respect it.
28:15But if you ask me,
28:16can he play a few more years?
28:17Maybe,
28:18but he still
28:19has other issues
28:20that he has to move.
28:21It's not just football.
28:22And you have to respect it.
28:24I have to do it again.
28:25Manchester United.
28:26Manchester United.
28:29What are your thoughts
28:30about Manchester United?
28:31Let's go back.
28:32You went back
28:33to Manchester United.
28:34We spoke on the phone
28:35when you were going
28:36to sign with
28:37Manchester United,
28:38when you were
28:39negotiating your return.
28:40My wife wanted
28:41to kill me
28:42at one in the morning.
28:43You called me.
28:44Yes, it's happening.
28:45What do you think about this?
28:46You ended up signing
28:47with United.
28:48Initially,
28:49that must have been
28:50something beautiful for you
28:51because I remember
28:52you were so happy
28:53on the phone.
28:54And then,
28:55obviously,
28:56it got a little bitter.
28:57Just give us
28:58a little perspective.
28:59Do you feel that
29:00you were right
29:01in what you said
29:02in the interview
29:03about signing with
29:04Manchester United?
29:05To be honest,
29:06whether I'm right
29:07or not,
29:08it's not my issue anymore.
29:09I said what I had
29:10to say
29:11and for me,
29:12it's done.
29:13But to be honest,
29:14what I wish for
29:15Manchester is
29:16what I wish
29:17for the best,
29:18that they can do
29:19it the best
29:20they can
29:21and I love that club.
29:22You know,
29:23I'm not
29:24one of those
29:25who forget
29:26the past.
29:27When I went back
29:28there,
29:29I was very happy.
29:30I was one
29:31of the best
29:32goal scorers.
29:33I did incredible
29:34things with the club.
29:35In my first season
29:36at 37 years old,
29:37I was the third
29:38best goal scorer
29:39in the league.
29:40I scored in all
29:41the group stage
29:42games.
29:43I scored in every
29:44game,
29:45even in the league.
29:46I scored 17 goals
29:47or 18 goals.
29:48I did amazing.
29:49But as I told you,
29:50Manchester,
29:51they need to
29:52rebuild
29:53everything,
29:54in my opinion.
29:55The coach
29:56said
29:57a few days ago
29:58that they
29:59need to
30:00rebuild
30:01everything
30:02so that they
30:03can't compete
30:04to win
30:05the Champions League
30:06and the League.
30:07Imagine
30:08the coach
30:09saying that.
30:10How will
30:11the whole
30:12group be then?
30:13You can't say
30:14that if you're
30:15the coach
30:16of Manchester
30:17United.
30:18You can't say
30:19you're not going
30:20to fight
30:21to win
30:22the League
30:23or the Champions
30:24League.
30:25You have to
30:26be mentally
30:27prepared
30:28and say,
30:29maybe we don't
30:30have to
30:31say that.
30:32Let's try it.
30:33You have to
30:34try it.
30:35But that was
30:36when we were
30:37there.
30:38That was the
30:39culture.
30:40Maybe the
30:41culture is different
30:42now.
30:43They have to
30:44start again
30:45because the
30:46standards have
30:47dropped.
30:48Expectations
30:49have to
30:50drop.
30:51Yes,
30:52exactly.
30:53Maybe
30:54it's because
30:55of what you
30:56said,
30:57but this
30:58club needs
30:59to change.
31:00And this is
31:01why you show
31:02that they
31:03start changing
31:04again.
31:05The structure
31:06of the club,
31:07the president,
31:08the infrastructure
31:09and everything.
31:10The owners
31:11of the club
31:12have invested
31:13in the training
31:14ground.
31:15Yes,
31:16the training
31:17ground.
31:18So I'm
31:19happy.
31:20I'm not
31:21happy with
31:22the way
31:23everything
31:24happened.
31:25But at
31:26the same
31:27time,
31:28I want
31:29the best
31:30for United.
31:31Where do
31:32you see the
31:33potential in
31:34the squad?
31:35You look
31:36at this squad
31:37now,
31:38you look
31:39at Garnaccio.
31:40I want to
31:41talk about
31:42attacking players
31:43really.
31:44You probably
31:45look at
31:46Garnaccio
31:47first,
31:48Rashford,
31:49Hoyland.
31:50You look
31:51at that
31:52and you
31:53think,
31:54where do
31:55you see
31:56the potential
31:57in the
31:58squad?
31:59All the
32:00club,
32:01all.
32:02Not only
32:03players,
32:04the club,
32:05everything as
32:06a unit.
32:07United,
32:08you know,
32:09they need to
32:10rebuild from
32:11the base.
32:12If not,
32:13they can't
32:14compete.
32:15It's impossible.
32:16They can
32:17do good
32:18things.
32:19Yes,
32:20they can
32:21win.
32:22They can
32:23win the
32:24Carabao,
32:25yes.
32:26But it will
32:27be difficult.
32:28Do you think
32:29Rudd,
32:30obviously,
32:31we know
32:32Rudd is
32:33coming back
32:34there?
32:35I think
32:36it will
32:37help a lot.
32:38How?
32:39What do
32:40you mean?
32:41If
32:42Ten Hag
32:43listens
32:44to Rudd,
32:45maybe,
32:46I think
32:47it can
32:48help a lot
32:49because he
32:50knows the
32:51club.
32:52And the
32:53club should
32:54listen to
32:55Rudd.
32:56Without
32:57knowledge.
32:58Not guys
32:59who work
33:00in the office
33:01who say,
33:02I understand
33:03a lot about
33:04football because
33:05I see football
33:06on television
33:07every day
33:08and I
33:09understand.
33:10No,
33:11this doesn't
33:12work like that.
33:13The people
33:14who understand
33:15football,
33:1699%
33:17are the ones
33:18who were
33:19there in
33:20the dressing room.
33:21Who are
33:22the most
33:23successful
33:24in the
33:25dressing room?
33:26They
33:27understand.
33:28They know
33:29how to
33:30deal with
33:31the players.
33:32It's the
33:33people who
33:34understand
33:35the things
33:36that you
33:37understand.
33:38If you
33:39want to
33:40go to
33:41Formula
33:421 to
33:43be an
33:44engineer,
33:45you'll
33:46never
33:47get there.
33:48You'll
33:49never
33:50know.
33:51I
33:52don't
33:53want
33:54to
33:55go
33:56there
33:57and
33:58I
33:59don't
34:00want
34:01to
34:02be
34:03an
34:04engineer.
34:05If
34:06you
34:07want to
34:08go
34:09to
34:10the
34:11dressing
34:12room,
34:13you
34:14can't
34:15get
34:16there.
34:17You
34:18can't
34:19go there
34:20at all.
34:21You
34:22Who are those guys and how are they?
34:24I don't like to mention names, but not many in the same way.
34:29I remember when I was 18 in Manchester United.
34:32You know me very well, I don't lie.
34:35I see the best examples.
34:38I see Gary Neville, for example, Giggs, Roy Keane.
34:42What do I do? I check everything.
34:45And I take what you do best.
34:48What Gary does best.
34:50And I make my own self, my own style, my own profession.
34:55You understand?
34:57And today's players don't do that.
34:59What did those guys have? What did you take from me?
35:03You are a professional.
35:05Very similar, far from that.
35:08No, but you always did gymnastics.
35:10You were always strong.
35:12Strong central defence, with good muscles on the pitch.
35:16But outside you did gymnastics, I remember that a lot.
35:19You are a tall guy, strong, with abs and all that.
35:24It would be interesting to know what one of the best players we have had thinks.
35:28What do you think about the next generation that is emerging to take the crown?
35:32Maybe at some point, like Lamine Jamal.
35:35What do you see in these young players?
35:37I see a huge potential, a great talent.
35:40He needs luck because he is very young.
35:43I hope he doesn't have any problems.
35:46But he is doing something that neither you nor Messi have ever done.
35:50Yes, he is in a context that helps him a lot.
35:53The national team of Spain is really good.
35:57And I think he has a huge potential.
36:00But let's see during his journey, what's going to happen.
36:06But I believe he is going to do it.
36:08He is going to be one of the best players of this new generation.
36:12How impressed have you been with the arrival of Judge Bellingham to Madrid?
36:17You know how difficult it can be.
36:19What impression has his first year caused you?
36:21It's the same, it's the same.
36:23It's a huge potential, a great talent.
36:26You go to a club where the environment was clean, it was good.
36:31And you grow.
36:33You grow like the others, like Camavinga, like Rodrigo, like Vinicius.
36:40So it's good, I think he is in a team that will help him to be a top player.
36:45And I also believe that he is going to be one of the best of the next generation.
36:50And that brings me to your son, Chris Junior.
36:52Yes.
36:53He wants to be a footballer.
36:54Yes.
36:55How do you feel about it?
36:58As I have told you, I give you the map as an example.
37:03Because, you know, this generation, it's difficult to tell them something and let them do it.
37:11It's difficult.
37:12Your children feel that it's really difficult.
37:15That's why I always think in my mind, you will see your dad as an example.
37:20They see me every day what I do at home, in training or in the game.
37:25They say, my dad works a lot.
37:30They see that.
37:32But at this moment, Christian wants to be a footballer.
37:36But I don't put a lot of pressure on him.
37:38I put a little pressure on him.
37:40He is 14 years old.
37:42He already has the pressure to be the son of Christian.
37:47Imagine if now I put a lot of pressure on him.
37:52I let him make his mistakes.
37:54I let him do his things.
37:57But I hope that in the future he can be a professional player.
38:01Or, if he is not a player, that he has another job.
38:06But I will always support them.
38:08Because we cannot pressure our children because we are famous.
38:12And because of that, I don't want to put that extra pressure.
38:16And because you have been able to give him a different life than the one you had.
38:20We both had a humble upbringing when we were young.
38:22We have lived a good life thanks to football.
38:25Their lives are different.
38:26So, how do you feed their hunger?
38:28How do you instill their work ethic?
38:30By example.
38:31I think it's the only way.
38:33I give a good education to my children.
38:35But by example.
38:36I think it's the best way.
38:38It's easy to try to teach them and give them my advice, my knowledge, my experience.
38:45Look, it's the truth.
38:47When we tell the truth, things happen.
38:51Do you see the main guy with five Champions League?
38:54They tell the truth.
38:56I don't lie.
38:57That's true.
38:58That's why I have conversations with my friends a few days ago and I say,
39:02yes, my children are going to suffer.
39:04Your children are going to suffer.
39:06Because one moment in their life they are going to have pain.
39:09Do you understand?
39:10Pain, uncertainty.
39:12And what do they have to do?
39:14Constant work.
39:15Because nobody is going to help them.
39:17They are going to be alone in a difficult moment and they are going to fall down.
39:22They have to get up, cry alone and move on.
39:25So you always felt different from everyone else.
39:27And when you were a kid in sports and then you grew up,
39:30did you always feel that you were a little special?
39:33I felt that my education was different.
39:37The environment in which I was born was different.
39:41And the mentality was also different.
39:44But if you ask me why, I don't know.
39:48I don't know why.
39:49Because I think all human beings are unique.
39:53We have some talents and we are special in some way.
39:58And I can't say I'm more special than you or more special than them.
40:02It was different.
40:04And I think that context in which I grew up,
40:06the help I received from my family, my closest friends, were key.
40:10This is the last question.
40:13What will you miss?
40:14One day you'll have to give up this game.
40:16I don't know.
40:17You're the kind of person who wants to play another four or five years.
40:20Yes, if you do that, you deserve it.
40:22But when you finally take your boots off for the last time,
40:25what will be the things you'll miss the most?
40:28What will you miss?
40:29I'll miss going to the stadium in the big moments.
40:33I think what I'm going to miss the most is not having the adrenaline
40:38of being in the stadium, of being nervous.
40:42You know, I think that's what I'm going to miss the most
40:45because, in other parts, I have it under control.
40:48I have good people around me.
40:50I have good business.
40:52I have good things, good income.
40:54But I think the adrenaline of football will never exist again.
40:58This is why I'm going a little bit more into football
41:02because at 40, you say,
41:06yes, I gave it all, you know?
41:0840, 41, 42, it doesn't matter.
41:11You say, I gave my body for 25 years of football.
41:16I cannot give more
41:18because you know the age doesn't allow you to go further.
41:22This is why I extend my longevity
41:25and this is why I take care of myself to keep working
41:28because I know that in two or three more years,
41:31I still can produce something good.
41:33This is why I told you, let me think in the present.
41:36I'm preparing my business area
41:38which is going very, very, very well.
41:43I will miss, of course, I will miss.
41:45Probably, I will feel a little bit lost.
41:49But, listen, what am I going to do?
41:51Do you think I'm going to cry?
41:53With all the life I have?
41:55No, well, maybe a little bit.
41:57Yes, well, maybe a little bit because I've become more sensitive.
42:00But I will be a little bit like this
42:02but I have other things to worry about
42:06and now there will be another chapter of my life
42:09which is the business part that also excites me.
42:13And that will be a challenge for me
42:15to learn other areas that I really don't know.
42:18Be more involved in my business
42:20and I'm surrounded by very, very good minds.
42:24For me, the key to have success outside of football
42:28as well as in the business part
42:30is to be surrounded by people smarter than you
42:34and be capable of understanding that.
42:38I think I'm smart in football
42:41but in other areas there are people much smarter than me.
42:44So you have to be surrounded by them
42:46to learn from them and build your own style
42:49and be good with these people.
42:51That's how the business grows, in my opinion.
42:54Hey, man, listen, thank you.
42:55Rio, thank you.
42:56It's a pleasure, man, I love you.
42:58You're a good guy and I'm happy to give you this interview.
43:01You deserve it.
43:02I wish it wasn't the first one or the last one
43:04because life will go on, my channel will go on
43:07and other projects will go on.
43:09Man, I'm happy for you.
43:10I appreciate it, man, thank you very much.
43:32You