CRISTIANO RONALDO
THIS
IS WHAT
£80 MILLION
BUYS YOU...
In the week he became the world’s most expensive player, Cristiano Ronaldo – the winger with
the golden touch – sits down with ShortList’s Ben Fairthorne
28 / WWW.SHORTLIST.COM
We all dream of those big pay
days. You know the ones:
when the MD of a rival firm
beckons you into his office
with a wink, the ‘finger pistols’
and open arms. Once inside
he cracks open the Scotch
(the good bottle) from his desk drawer, pours a glass for
you both and proceeds to tell you that your recordbreaking
performance over the last six months leaves
him with only one option: to pay you more money than
you can feasibly ever spend or even imagine. To 99 per
cent of us, this is one of those lazy Sunday-afternoon
fantasies that gees us up for another week of work.
To the other one per cent by the name of Cristiano
Ronaldo, this is pretty much life as he knows it.
With an £80m fee having changed hands for the
winger’s move to Real Madrid, he’s probably feeling
pretty pleased with himself right now. Especially as
estimates are putting the 24-year-old’s personal earning
for the length of his contract at around £106m in total.
If you need this breaking down further, it’s an average
of £339,744 a week. Or £48,535 per day. That’s £2,022
an hour. About £34 a minute. And 56p per second.
“I was a boy when I arrived at
Man United. I’m leaving a man”
Photography: Bjorn Lux
Feeling nauseous with envy? Us too. However, we pushed
these unsportsmanlike feelings aside and sat down with
the man himself just days after his move was announced.
Who will you miss most from the Manchester
United squad?
I will miss the boss. Sir Alex has taught me so much
on and off the field. I could not have asked for a better
mentor. I will always owe him a lot and will never forget
him. I will also miss all the lads; the squad had a great
atmosphere. I had a very special relationship with
Wayne [Rooney] on and off the field. I have made some
good friends with the players and all the staff, but it is
time for me to move on now.
Do you really have a sentimental attachment to the
club, or do you think it’s just business?
Of course I have a sentimental attachment, I have spent
a quarter of my life here. I was a boy when I arrived at
Manchester United and I’m leaving a man. This club and
its fans will always have a place in my heart. I have learnt
a lot of life lessons here, and I will never forget all the
things I have been taught by so many people.
Is there anything you won’t miss?
There are some teams who know they can’t compete
with you on a football level, so they just kick you.
It’s frustrating and something needs to be done
to protect the skilful players, because one day
somebody will get seriously hurt. I think more could
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