Ronaldo reveals plans for life after football

The Real Madrid forward, whose side face Gary Neville's Valencia on Sunday, does not imagine himself remaining in the game when the time comes to retire

Cristiano Ronaldo says he will live like a king when he retires from football, but he does not envisage himself remaining in the game as a manager. 

The Real Madrid star will turn 31 in February and it’s inevitable that over the next few years there will be rumours about his next move.

However, Ronaldo insists he is not thinking about taking on a coaching role when his time in the limelight comes to an end.

"There is another life after football,” he said in an interview with Papel. 

“I think at first it will be tough [not playing], but if you ask me now if I want to coach, I would say no. Neither [would I want to be] a club director nor a president.

“You can say you have the best job, money, cars, houses... but that is not everything. 

“One example: On Saturday there’s boxing on in Las Vegas and I would like to take my family and friends, but I can’t because I have no time. But after [football] I want to live like a king.”

After a decade spent sparring with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi to be the world’s No.1 player, the spotlight on Ronaldo’s career has led to huge amounts of pressure. 

He doesn’t feel the weight of the expectation on his shoulders, though, or the constant speculation about his life. 

"I can handle the pressure due to the hard life I’ve had,” he continued. 


“Leaving home at 11 and going into a different world, first to Lisbon and then to Manchester, was very difficult and between 11 and 18 I [learned about] stability. 

“So I’ve become the person I am today because of the time I spent without my family and going through difficult times. 

“I was a teenager, but I had to do things as a man - to the point that I had to do my own ironing. My mental strength began at that time.”

Ronaldo also dismissed the idea that other people’s opinions worried him.

He added: “Everyone can think what they want. I go to bed each day with a clear conscience and I sleep well. 

“We cannot be obsessed with what other people think of us - even God didn't please everyone.”