Cristiano Ronaldo exposed: Portugal superstar has ‘amazing warmth, no arrogance’ but won’t be happy till he wins Euro 2016
CRISTIANO RONALDO is tormented by the secret headache of Portugal's tournament hoodoo - but the man who knows him best says it can spur him on to Euro 2016 glory.
The Real Madrid superstar, 31, was discovered aged 12 by Aurelio Pereira, the chief scout of Sporting Lisbon - who also found the likes Luis Figo, Nani, Joao Moutinho and Ricardo Quaresma.
And the man who Ronaldo calls a "second father" gives SunSport an exclusive interview lifting the lid on one of the planet's biggest stars - that despite his prima donna image, complete with the millionaire lifestyle and model girlfriends, he is a misunderstood, down-to-earth character oozing warmth, born with an incredible natural ability.
And despite relishing leading this current Portuguese squad - who face Wales in the Euro 2016 semi-final tonight - he is tortured by Portugal's record at big tournaments.
He said: “Cristiano is the single best player I have ever discovered. I talk to him all the time, he is a friend of the family and he sees me as a second father. I have always been there for him, especially in the bad moments when he was struggling and he needed an arm put around him. I always know how he feels and I know what makes him happy - to win with Portugal.
“He is a man with amazing warmth with friends and family, an emotional man with football coursing through his veins. Cristiano has won so much, but the Euros are the one thing missing, which hurts him. But this time he has a real chance to put it right.
“If we had won in Euro 2004 when we lost in the final, there would not be this pressure on Cristiano. I believe that right now we have the best chance of glory, if not at Euro 2016 then in the next few years with this current squad.”
Pereira, a former youth coach at Sporting Lisbon became chief scout in 1987 and immediately set up a network of 250 scouts across Portugal, turning the club’s academy into one of the best in the world – which helped to spot a young Ronaldo on the island of Madeira.
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He said: “I found Ronaldo in 1996 – we paid about £25,000 for him from Nacional da Madeira, a huge price for a kid that age. But we saw he instantly had an amazing relationship with the ball, his movement and speed was unbelievable. He was prodigious.
“He had extraordinary physical and mental qualities. He came to Lisbon without any family and by his second day there, he was dominating the changing room - the other players were looking at him like he was a UFO, they were in awe of him!
“But he was not arrogant. A true talent is unique and he acknowledged he was better than the others – he would not have been so confident if he could not back it up. He wasn’t just the best at football; he was the best at every sport, from table tennis to swimming."
After another excellent season for Real, Ronaldo has not been at his best during the tournament despite scoring twice – which Pereira puts down to fatigue, having played over 50 games last season for the sixth season in a row.
He added: “We have to understand that players from great teams are subject to very tiring seasons. When you reach the Euros after a very physical season, fatigue will exist and Ronaldo is definitely tired – but he has found that strength when it mattered.
"He has amazing stamina and I fully believe Cristiano will go on and on like Figo did. He has told me he wants to play into his 40’s at Real Madrid – he is hardly ever injured."
Ronaldo's short temper was highlighted when he launched a Portuguese reporter’s microphone into a lake when asked a question before the Hungary match.
But Pereira said it was not without good reason.
He said: “Cristiano is a man of feelings, and was annoyed with the amount of false news about his family that the TV station was broadcasting. He lost his temper yes, but he could not sit by and do nothing.”
Ronaldo has won everything in football except a major international tournament, which Pereira says the skipper is desperate to change against a buoyant Wales team containing Real team-mate Gareth Bale – who he believes will not be as attacking as in previous rounds.
Pereira added: “I don’t think Wales will be that attacking. Bale is an incredible player and it will be a blessing to see Cristiano and him in battle. But they are seeing Portugal getting stronger as the games go on, particularly into extra time and penalties, they are in new territory and I expect them to sit back. We must stamp our authority on Wales early on.
“Ronaldo is so important to the national team, and every team with a stand-out player should be thankful. When you look at Wales, and you take away Bale you do not have that much of a star team.”
Aurelio Pereira was speaking in London at trials for the European Football Academy, set up to coach youngsters in London a continental style of football. The Academy, financed by Man Capital has strong links with Sporting Lisbon with some of the best talent being flown to Portugal to train at the club. Visit for more details.