Eurosport - Sat, 21 Jun 14:32:00 2008
Cristiano Ronaldo says Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has inspired him as he seeks a move to Real Madrid.
Scolari will take over at Chelsea next month having decided midway through the country's European Championship campaign he wanted to move back into club management.
Ronaldo, who has been the subject of long-standing interest from Real, said he cannot pass up a "great opportunity".
"It [moving to Real] is a dream, a step forward, you can call it what you want," Ronaldo said.
"For me it is a great opportunity and, as Scolari says, that train passes by only once and we have to take advantage of it.
"That is why he took advantage of his change. Other people have to take advantage of opportunities, too."
Asked whether he was concerned his actions would upset United manager Sir Alex Ferguson the winger added: "It is my opinion. That is why I don't mind if people get upset.
"It is my decision. It is what I want. I don't know what I have to say to him. I have to say what I want and what I think."
Real president Ramon Calderon, meanwhile, has refused to be drawn on Ronaldo's latest admission.
Real have often expressed their desire to lure the player to the Bernabeu and despite United insisting he is not for sale, Ronaldo's declarations following Portugal's Euro 2008 exit could mean a move is on the cards.
However, while admitting it would be a great coup to land the Portugal star, Calderon insisted the transfer is far from a done deal.
"As we have already said many times, it is a problem between Manchester United and the player," Calderon told Spanish sports daily AS.
"If the two resolve this situation and Manchester United want to call us then we will be happy and delighted with them because Cristiano is a great player.
"We can't say anything more, we only talk about our own footballers and Cristiano is Manchester United's."
However, Calderon did admit Ronaldo's comments may have swung the pendulum in Real's favour.
"If the kid keeps himself in that strong position, the step he has taken could be key," added the Real chief.
Real are reportedly set to offer United a world record 100 million euros (£79 million) for the player or 80 million (£63.2 million) plus Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder.
Comment 571 - 590 of 590
Too right matthewwalsh!
No-one can deny the class of Ronaldo who has been declaring it is his dream to join Real Madrid, i just wonder if it would still be his dream if Real were offering him just 40 grand a week (i seriously doubt it).
As a utd fan, asked at the end of the season, there would be no way i would have wanted him to go but after the way hes treated utd and the fans who stuck by him after the world cup i cant wait to see the back of him. Ok he was the heart of utd's attack and scored a hell of alot of goals but with the service of utd how many goals could the likes of berbatov score? I think we should cash in now while we can an buy berba drop rooney back in his usual position an watch the goals role in and Real Madrid fail to buy their way to success yet again LOL!!! RONALDO WHO?????
Utd should let him go but screw Real on the price...SAF can adjust the team without him...Utd will end up getter the better part of the deal
Utd should cash in on Renaldo if he wants off - he's had his best season as if he goes he won't be having someone of the quality of Rooney to do his donkey work. Rooney and Ferdinand and Vidic are Utd's most important player and with Renaldo gone Rooney can resort to playing his natural role behind the front striker. With the money Utd can buy a proper target man or that Russian bloke
I dont think non-UTD can really make fair comments. Imagine if one of your top players was acting like Ronaldo has over this whole "saga" would you think thats respectful? Considering UTD has made him the player he is today, he should be kissing some Red ar*es.
Yes, if he doesnt want to play for us, he should go, its up to him. The whole issue for me is the way you go about things and don't be a media hogg cos that will just give you a bad name besides how good you are a player.
UTD will rise and move on without him without even realising he has gone. I don't give two shi*s about players who dont care about the team they play for. Look at all the fans who love and worship him just to be let down by him beating around the bush and playing media games. SOOOO BORED, WISH HE WOULD JUST GO ALREADY!
I JUST HAVE..to say this fellas..As a Long,long Time, MAN. UNITED, Supporter,I...AM SICK TO THE BACK OF MY TEETH, about HOW some "Stupid @#$%S" here, have been STONNING RONALDO..after ALL he has DONE FOR US !!!!-no wonder the Lad, wishes to leave us...and no Pampering,Condescending,and PRAISE,from Sir ALEX and the Glaziers, will MAKE HIM STAY, in "OUR CLUB"...!It's really,really SAD ..to see how SOME SCUMMY..can @#$% UP..the Players work,trought the entire Season..with their ANTICS,RANTING AND WHINGGING...!- I'm NOW getting to the POINT..where I SAY..YES,RONALDO..Go,and GOOD LUCK BOY!!!
i agree that ronaldo is only as good as he is at man u but man u are only as good as they are because of ronaldo. his goals and presence made all the difference this season and thats why they won what they won. man u are still a good team without him though and the glazers are in it for a profit anyway so might as well cash in while they can.
To..POGO-21/06...Carlos Queiroz, an ex Sporting F.C. Manager, FOUND, CRISTIANO RONALDO
....and,being Sir Alex's and the Glazers,"PREFERRED",next Manager,brought him over to Man. Utd..!QUEIROZ,knew Sorting was "CASH STRAPPED",and RONALDO,was sold for Tippance..!!!-Let the Boy GO...and SELL OFF, the OVER RATED Rooney...that will ADD much more Cash to MAN U., Petty cash Box...-LOL...!
get rid of him and bring in tony cascarino to shore up the attack
as an admirer of cristiano and a man united fan, i have to say im dissapointed with his desire to play for real madrid. now if he goes that means we have to get a replacement! which from my point of view is a good thing! without taking anything away from ronnie he isnt much of a team player, if it wasnt for rooney and wonderful tevez he wouldnt have the amount of goals he achieved last season. now fergie will need to get someone else yeah? now for all u man u fans out there! its time to bring someone special to our team, someone who plays the beautiful game like no other can! LIO MESSI! the lil kid from argentina will set the premiership on fire!!! c'mon fergie you know im right!
A dream to increase your bank account.
you're just a nother fool Ronaldo...and soon you will experience what it is to be an over-rated Globe Trotter
Yes, we cannot deny that CR is a world class player. It is so because he is one of the ELEVEN players in a team called MANCHESTER UNITED. With other teams he will still be OK but not as good when with MU. Just look at his performance when playing for Portugal, especially the game against Germany. Clearly, him alone cannot guarantee a team's success.
man u only won anything coz of ronaldo! they couldnt get past the group stages of the champs league without his goals and real will be a real force with ronaldo there. he scored nearly 50% of uniteds goals. thats an insult to man u and rooney and all the rest of their over rated players.
man u are lucky cr7 didnt leave after the world cup after all the abuse he had to tolerate from all the fans. instead he stuck it out, won every trophy there was to be won with united, became the best footballer around and now wants to gracefully bow out while he's ahead and the world's big boys are still after you. as an arsenal fan, who is used to loosing at least one star player a season for the last few years, we loose players that claim to love the club (henry, vieira) because they want to win trophies and no one made as much of a fuss! cr7 is at the peak of his game and the people that think he will flop in spain are comparing him to the likes of thierry henry who never won anything single handed for arsenal nor did he ever score 42 in one season as good as he was he was not a star when arsenal bought him and he's realised this by being around real stars. cr7 will shine in spain, italy, russia or japan for that matter and no one should stand in his way of achieving greatness. pele, maradona, zidane and all the other greats all played for many clubs so why should cr7 rot at old trafford!
"Just think Ronaldo, you won everything at United but you want to go to a @#$%py Spanish team thats lucky to get past the group stages of the Champions League, let alone win it ! ! !" - Gaybo
Hey Gaybo.. weren't you the team who couldn't get through the group stages a couple of years ago? That's something Real haven't done. ;)
Ahh isn't it fun when you completely neglect your own teams insufficiency.
Stupid Ronaldo
real madrid is not the best team in europe
MU is the King of EUROPE
why he want to go to that stupid club
Beackham is one of united best player
but when he went to real madrid he is ZERO..
CR is stupid if he think that moving to real is a step forward...
To all those saying that Man U should buy Arshavin to replace Ronaldo, what are you on? He is 27, not exactly a youngster to be developed. About 200 games for St. Petersbfurg, and 50 goals. (1 in 4). He had a really good season and one great game in the Euro Champs. He's been around for years, why didn't any scout from hundreds of clubs around Europe notice him if he is that good. Also at every major tournament players suddenly appear, who have been around for years, and suddenly have a good tournament, and the big clubs start buying them. And they never do any good. I don't have to name them, but just as an example, remember a couple from the Cameroon, who lit up the world cup stage and were @#$% for the clubs that bought them afterwards?
why dont he just fuckoff to madrid , be glad to see the back of him little @#$% .
ronaldo shud go cus utd r a 1 man team however sneijder will flop in england nd ronaldo gonna flop in spain sigh no1 learns!!!!!
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