Cristiano Ronaldo admits he was sad to leave Real Madrid as crowd chants 'sign him up' during Perez reunion

Ronaldo was reunited with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez on Monday.
AFP/Getty Images
Ben Hayward29 July 2019

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted for the first time that he was sad to leave Real Madrid.

The Portuguese moved to Turin in a shock €100 million transfer last summer, but was back in Spain on Monday to receive the MARCA Leyenda lifetime achievement award.

Ronaldo was joined on stage by Madrid president Florentino Perez and the two men were pictured together for the first time since the player's departure in July last year.

"Sign him up," the crowd shouted as Perez walked up onto the stage. The club chief then whispered something in Ronaldo's ear and the two shared an embrace amid applause and one or two mischievous chants of "Messi" from the crowd.

Ronaldo joined Juve last summer.
Getty Images

Ronaldo also took questions from five children dressed in the kits of his five teams: Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Portugal.

Asked by the young girl in the Sporting shirt, Claudia, if he could ever imagine he would be the best or win so much, Ronaldo said: "No. I just wanted to be a professional player."

Gonzalo, in a Manchester United shirt, wanted to know if the Portuguese missed the English club or Real Madrid more, and the 34-year-old replied: "I miss them both, but because of life circumstances... I lived more time in Madrid, and my boys and my girl were born here, so I miss Madrid more."

Iciar, from Portugal, asked if the Euro 2016 trophy was the most special and Cristiano said: "All trophies are important, but that's possibly the most special. It's not the same, when you win something with your country, you know it's more difficult, so I'd say it's the most important of my career."

In Pictures | Cristiano Ronaldo arrives in Turin

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Young Jorge, in a Real Madrid jersey, told the Portuguese: "I was very sad when you left Madrid." Ronaldo smiled and replicated. "Me too," he said.

And Marco, dressed in Juventus colours, asked Cristiano if the Bianconeri would win the Champions League this coming season. "I don't know," Ronaldo said. "We'll try, as always. Let's hope Juventus can win it."

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