‘Cristiano was never arrogant’: Former Real Madrid teammate reveals the human side behind Ronaldo’s public image
A New Perspective on Ronaldo’s Character
Bharatmorningnews.com – Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez has stepped forward to challenge the narrative surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s personality. According to the Mexican striker, what many observers interpret as conceit is actually a deep-seated drive to excel and celebrate genuine accomplishment.
During his loan spell at Real Madrid in the 2014-15 campaign, Hernandez gained intimate insight into the Portuguese star’s daily routines. This proximity allowed him to witness Ronaldo’s habits firsthand, far beyond the glare of public attention.
From United Stories to Reality
Before joining Real Madrid, Hernandez had already spent time at Manchester United alongside Rio Ferdinand. His career at Old Trafford included 59 goals across 157 matches, contributing to two Premier League championships. He also holds the distinction of being Mexico’s all-time leading international scorer with 52 goals.
Through conversations with Ferdinand on the podcast “Rio Ferdinand Presents,” Hernandez recalled hearing countless tales about Ronaldo during his United days. When he eventually became Ronaldo’s teammate, he found those accounts remarkably accurate.
“It was unbelievable because I spoke with you in particular, and with another teammate, about Cristiano when he was at United. There were a lot of stories, and then I had the blessing of going there and becoming his teammate,” Hernandez explained.
“All the stories you told me were true. He was competitive even when he was having dinner. But that competitiveness was not about arrogance. It was about him wanting to be right, not wanting to prove to you that he was better than you.”
The Unyielding Competitive Spirit
Hernandez describes Ronaldo as possessing an internal mechanism that never switches off. This constant state of readiness enables the Portuguese legend to handle the immense expectations of maintaining excellence over multiple decades.
“I think there is a switch inside him, and inside many footballers, for which there is no on and off. It is switched on all the time,” he noted. “To become the best of the best of the best, you need to be the best of the best of the best every single second of your day. That is how you become capable of carrying the pressure of being the best.”
Discovering the Human Side
Both players shared a habit of arriving early for sessions and dedicating extra time to gym work. These overlapping routines created opportunities for private conversations that revealed Ronaldo’s true nature.
“I have so many good stories about his human side. You know me as well. It is not that I worked as hard as Cristiano Ronaldo, but I was always the guy who arrived early for training or for the gym,” Hernandez shared. “If I needed to do more work in the gym afterwards, I always did it. So I had the pleasure of spending time alone with him.”
“He had been a Manchester United player and a legend, and I was a United player, so we had that in common. We had amazing conversations. He was very human and very humble. I never considered Cristiano arrogant. I think that is what people do not realise.”
Confidence Misunderstood
The Mexican striker suggests that Ronaldo’s straightforward self-assurance often works against him. Modern society tends to favor humility, making open acknowledgment of personal greatness appear boastful.
“Cristiano was always going against the tide, against everything. He always needed to fight,” Hernandez observed. “When he achieved something and you asked him, ‘Did you achieve this?’ he would say, ‘Yes, I did.’ If you asked him, ‘Do you believe you are the best?’ he would say yes because he was proving it.”
“Society is not built for you to speak well about yourself because people see that as arrogance. For me, arrogance is when you say something that is not true. When you say, ‘I am the best’, but you have not proven it, that is arrogance. But when you are the best and you are proving it, that is different. If you do not give yourself credit and speak well about yourself, who is going to do it?”
Unfair Criticism at 41
Now 41 years old and still competing for both Portugal and Al-Nassr, Ronaldo faces renewed scrutiny. Hernandez believes this criticism stems from delayed judgment rather than genuine fault.
“Do you know why a lot of people are starting to speak badly about him now? Because they could not do it in the past. They couldn’t,” Hernandez stated. “I think a lot of people are taking advantage of the situation now because, of course, he is 41 years old. But he is 41 years old and he is still playing at that level. My God. That is why it is unfair. I do not even like having to defend him because he does not need defending. The numbers are there.”
Beyond defending his former teammate, Hernandez also pushed back against the common practice of elevating Ronaldo by diminishing Lionel Messi’s legacy.
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