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Cristiano Ronaldo: Wanting to win
(FIFA.com) Monday 3 November 2008
Cristiano Ronaldo has already achieved many things in his short career. With Manchester United he has won two league championships, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Community Shield and the UEFA Champions League. He was a runner-up with Portugal at UEFA EURO 2004, featured prominently at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ as well as this year's European Championships.
Individually, his list of awards seems to be increasing by the month. Last Monday, he was named as the FIFPro Player of the Year, on Wednesday he was listed among the 23 nominees in the running to be crowned the FIFA World Player of the Year and was also presented with the European Golden Boot, while he has already been presented with the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Year awards.
Yet despite the legion of achievements and accolades, the 23-year-old is hungry for more, starting with the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008, as FIFA.com found out at Manchester United's Trafford Training Centre recently. The questions posed exclusively to the talented winger came directly from you, the FIFA.com users. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was by far our most popular ‘Ask' interview yet, with thousands of questions being sent from all over the globe.
Red4eva: You achieved so much last season. How can you top that this time around?
Cristiano Ronaldo: Last season I had the opportunity to win many things, not just with the team but also as an individual. For me, last season enabled me to achieve great things on many, many levels and obviously I'm really happy. This season I'm just trying to do the same. I know it will be difficult, but I'm ambitious, I'm playing alongside great players and so I'm confident that the same opportunities will come again and that's a fantastic feeling. I want to win more things.
NewtonHeath: You've got the opportunity to be part of the club champions of the world at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. How are you feeling about that?
It's fantastic and I'm very excited. It's the first time that I've had the opportunity to win this trophy in my career and I'm hoping to do that in December. Me and my colleagues are looking forward to being there and playing the best football we can for the fans. It's a good tournament. We have a lot of supporters in Japan and it's going to be a pleasure to play there. We want to play well for the people and come home with the trophy. I want to win it 100 per cent.
Trafford_Oldie: Who are your friends in the Manchester United team? Does the team go out much together?
I'm lucky because I have a great relationship with everyone, not just two or three, but I'd say that my closest friends are Nani, Anderson and the Brazilian boys [Rafael and Fabio] because they speak my language, but also Edwin [van der Sar], Rio [Ferdinand], Pat [Evra], Carlos [Tevez]. It's a good group, a funny group and it's a pleasure to be here with them.
diegogol: Why did you choose the No7 shirt?
I didn't choose. It was given to me. When I was signing for Manchester United, I asked for the No28, because that was my squad number when I was at Sporting. But the boss [Sir Alex Ferguson] said "No, no. I'm giving you the No7." It was a great challenge for me, because the club have had some great players such as George Best and David Beckham who have worn this number. It's an honour and a pleasure, it's a special number and I love wearing it, but my responsibility is still the same, I have to play well for the team, no matter what number I'm wearing.
moradojcc91: What is the most important or special goal you have scored so far in your career?
To be honest, I have scored a few great goals and to choose one is difficult. Last season, I won the award for the goal of the season against Portsmouth which I scored direct from a free-kick. It was a good goal, a fantastic goal, but I couldn't really pick that one out as my personal favourite.
flora18: What is your favourite footballing memory?
Again, there are a few. The first time I started to play football in a team - my move to Sporting was obviously very special, as was my move to Manchester United. Thinking about the times when there have been big, exciting changes in my life brings back so many great memories for me.
youssef: What was the most difficult moment in your career?
Again, just as there have been good moments and good goals, there have also been a number of difficult times and it's hard to select one of them. The first one that comes to my mind is the defeat in the final of EURO 2004, then the FA Cup final defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea. When you lose, you always have a bad feeling, but in big games like that, when you have the chance of winning a medal, it can be a little bit harder.
titecindy31: How did it feel to become Portugal captain for the first time?
It's fantastic. It was a wonderful feeling to put the armband on for the first time - and it still is a great feeling whenever I am given the chance to be captain of Portugal. It makes me proud. Obviously, I'm still very young, so for me to be to be made captain is amazing, but it doesn't alter the way I play. I want to play well all the time and I want to win all the time.
asmir90: Do you have any tips on becoming a better dribbler of the ball?
Practice! Always try to do new things and work at them every day. That's all I do. Sometimes doing new things on the pitch isn't possible, but even now, I'm hoping to show the fans some different tricks in the future!
whatyadoin: What goals do you have left as a player?
I always want to improve. Last season was the best moment of my short career so far, but I know I can get even better. I want to score more goals, score great goals and win more trophies. I'm at the right club for that.
mmhughes: What is the best stadium you have played at, in terms of atmosphere?
Apart from Old Trafford, I have to say that the atmosphere at Anfield whenever we play there is wonderful. I love to play in Rome and Barcelona and I think Arsenal has a nice stadium too. Oh, I forgot Celtic! The fans are incredible. It's always great when we go and play there.
iNDIRA'89: If you couldn't have been a professional footballer, what would you have done?
I don't know. To be honest, I haven't a clue. I've been asked this question a few times, but I don't know. Obviously, I would have done something in my life, but I don't know what.
cristianofan: Could you define yourself in one word?
In one word?! (Laughing) Brilliant!
FIFA.com: Cristiano, what was your favourite question from our users?
I particularly liked the question about the No7 shirt, because it brought back happy memories of signing for Manchester United, but my favourite was the last one. I've never been asked that before - and it made me laugh!
(FIFA.com) Monday 3 November 2008
Cristiano Ronaldo has already achieved many things in his short career. With Manchester United he has won two league championships, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Community Shield and the UEFA Champions League. He was a runner-up with Portugal at UEFA EURO 2004, featured prominently at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ as well as this year's European Championships.
Individually, his list of awards seems to be increasing by the month. Last Monday, he was named as the FIFPro Player of the Year, on Wednesday he was listed among the 23 nominees in the running to be crowned the FIFA World Player of the Year and was also presented with the European Golden Boot, while he has already been presented with the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Year awards.
Yet despite the legion of achievements and accolades, the 23-year-old is hungry for more, starting with the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008, as FIFA.com found out at Manchester United's Trafford Training Centre recently. The questions posed exclusively to the talented winger came directly from you, the FIFA.com users. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was by far our most popular ‘Ask' interview yet, with thousands of questions being sent from all over the globe.
Red4eva: You achieved so much last season. How can you top that this time around?
Cristiano Ronaldo: Last season I had the opportunity to win many things, not just with the team but also as an individual. For me, last season enabled me to achieve great things on many, many levels and obviously I'm really happy. This season I'm just trying to do the same. I know it will be difficult, but I'm ambitious, I'm playing alongside great players and so I'm confident that the same opportunities will come again and that's a fantastic feeling. I want to win more things.
NewtonHeath: You've got the opportunity to be part of the club champions of the world at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. How are you feeling about that?
It's fantastic and I'm very excited. It's the first time that I've had the opportunity to win this trophy in my career and I'm hoping to do that in December. Me and my colleagues are looking forward to being there and playing the best football we can for the fans. It's a good tournament. We have a lot of supporters in Japan and it's going to be a pleasure to play there. We want to play well for the people and come home with the trophy. I want to win it 100 per cent.
Trafford_Oldie: Who are your friends in the Manchester United team? Does the team go out much together?
I'm lucky because I have a great relationship with everyone, not just two or three, but I'd say that my closest friends are Nani, Anderson and the Brazilian boys [Rafael and Fabio] because they speak my language, but also Edwin [van der Sar], Rio [Ferdinand], Pat [Evra], Carlos [Tevez]. It's a good group, a funny group and it's a pleasure to be here with them.
diegogol: Why did you choose the No7 shirt?
I didn't choose. It was given to me. When I was signing for Manchester United, I asked for the No28, because that was my squad number when I was at Sporting. But the boss [Sir Alex Ferguson] said "No, no. I'm giving you the No7." It was a great challenge for me, because the club have had some great players such as George Best and David Beckham who have worn this number. It's an honour and a pleasure, it's a special number and I love wearing it, but my responsibility is still the same, I have to play well for the team, no matter what number I'm wearing.
moradojcc91: What is the most important or special goal you have scored so far in your career?
To be honest, I have scored a few great goals and to choose one is difficult. Last season, I won the award for the goal of the season against Portsmouth which I scored direct from a free-kick. It was a good goal, a fantastic goal, but I couldn't really pick that one out as my personal favourite.
flora18: What is your favourite footballing memory?
Again, there are a few. The first time I started to play football in a team - my move to Sporting was obviously very special, as was my move to Manchester United. Thinking about the times when there have been big, exciting changes in my life brings back so many great memories for me.
youssef: What was the most difficult moment in your career?
Again, just as there have been good moments and good goals, there have also been a number of difficult times and it's hard to select one of them. The first one that comes to my mind is the defeat in the final of EURO 2004, then the FA Cup final defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea. When you lose, you always have a bad feeling, but in big games like that, when you have the chance of winning a medal, it can be a little bit harder.
titecindy31: How did it feel to become Portugal captain for the first time?
It's fantastic. It was a wonderful feeling to put the armband on for the first time - and it still is a great feeling whenever I am given the chance to be captain of Portugal. It makes me proud. Obviously, I'm still very young, so for me to be to be made captain is amazing, but it doesn't alter the way I play. I want to play well all the time and I want to win all the time.
asmir90: Do you have any tips on becoming a better dribbler of the ball?
Practice! Always try to do new things and work at them every day. That's all I do. Sometimes doing new things on the pitch isn't possible, but even now, I'm hoping to show the fans some different tricks in the future!
whatyadoin: What goals do you have left as a player?
I always want to improve. Last season was the best moment of my short career so far, but I know I can get even better. I want to score more goals, score great goals and win more trophies. I'm at the right club for that.
mmhughes: What is the best stadium you have played at, in terms of atmosphere?
Apart from Old Trafford, I have to say that the atmosphere at Anfield whenever we play there is wonderful. I love to play in Rome and Barcelona and I think Arsenal has a nice stadium too. Oh, I forgot Celtic! The fans are incredible. It's always great when we go and play there.
iNDIRA'89: If you couldn't have been a professional footballer, what would you have done?
I don't know. To be honest, I haven't a clue. I've been asked this question a few times, but I don't know. Obviously, I would have done something in my life, but I don't know what.
cristianofan: Could you define yourself in one word?
In one word?! (Laughing) Brilliant!
FIFA.com: Cristiano, what was your favourite question from our users?
I particularly liked the question about the No7 shirt, because it brought back happy memories of signing for Manchester United, but my favourite was the last one. I've never been asked that before - and it made me laugh!