yesterday 20:20
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Special training habits, discipline and dedication to fulfill football dreams. These qualities adorned Cristiano Ronaldo already during his early football career in Sporting Lisbon. Former teammate Marius Niculae talked about his work in the capital of Portugal.
Despite several offers from European clubs, Cristiano Ronaldo decided to stay in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr. Former Romanian footballer Marius Niculae spent two years with the Portuguese star at Sporting Lisbon and admitted that he was rather the unsociable type.
“We had to drag him to come to our table. He was in his own world. He went to the gym alone and didn’t tell anyone about it. Sometimes after training, we went to eat with our teammates, but he never came.” revealed Niculae in the Romanian show Digi Sport.
The Romanian also focused on the problems in the national team during the World Cup. According to him, the squad did not accept him, and the only person he got along with in the “Seleção” was defensive veteran Pepe.
After football comes an acting career
“We have known Pepe since we were little. He was also at the trials at Sporting Lisbon, since then he and Ronaldo have known each other. I think Pepe is the only one he gets along with. I saw some pictures and Bruno Fernandes was avoiding him. The last time I spoke to him, he said he had two close friends that he stayed in touch with.” added the former Romanian footballer.
According to him, the biggest influence on his departure from Manchester United and his subsequent transfer to Al-Nassr was an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan. “The statements he made in that interview, which also led to his departure from Manchester United, mattered a lot,” said Niculae, also hinting at what Ronaldo’s plans are after his football career: “I think from what I’ve read, he wants to enter the field of cinema, Hollywood.”
Cristiano Ronaldo will play his first match in Saudi Arabia on January 19. His Al-Nassr scheduled a friendly match in a combined lineup with Al-Hilal against Paris Saint-Germain and star Lionel Messi. In addition, the Portuguese will enter the match with the captain’s armband.
