Real Madrid News
Cristiano Ronaldo opens up about Real Madrid’s obsession with UCL: “Engraved in my memory”
During an interaction on the YouTube channel of LiveScore, former Real Madrid superstar and club legend reflected on his time at the Santiago Bernabeu and the success he achieved during his stint, especially in the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo arrived at Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009 in a record deal. He had to wait for a considerable time for his first European trophy with the Merengues, which came in the form of La Decima in the 2013/14 season under Carlo Ancelotti.
And during his chat, the 37-year-old, who recently signed for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, claimed that the La Decima triumph was the most special win for him and Real Madrid.
“At Real Madrid, they always think about the Champions League. We felt year after year, the pressure is getting higher and higher every time, but La Decima was the moment we won what we wanted. The most special win,” Ronaldo said.
“La Decima with Real Madrid is a moment that will be engraved in my memory forever, I will never forget. When you sign for Real Madrid you feel that winning the Champions League is a kind of obsession, everyone there was obsessed with winning the 10th.”
After La Decima, Real Madrid would go on to win three more Champions League titles over the next four years, this time with Zinedine Zidane at the helm. Indeed, the Merengues lifted the coveted trophy in three consecutive seasons in 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18.
Talking about the trophy haul, Ronaldo said: “We won four Champions League titles in five years. It’s… wow. But I believe we could have won more.”
However, the all-time leading goalscorer for the Merengues insisted that La Decima meant the most to him, saying: “The 10th was the most special. It was in my homeland. Every fan wanted it. We all wanted it. It is the moment I will always remember, winning the most prestigious with my club.”
Ronaldo spent nine years at Real Madrid, scoring 450 goals in 438 appearances. The icon left the club in 2018 to join Juventus, where he spent three years before returning to Manchester United in 2021.
The 37-year-old had a breakdown in his relationship with the Red Devils this season and left for Al Nassr. Prior to his move to Saudi Arabia this month, it is said that Ronaldo’s agents offered him to Real Madrid, but the club were uninterested in signing the legendary forward.
The current edition of the Real Madrid squad is full of young talents, who have shown remarkable potential in recent years.
Arda Guler is among the young players looking to make a mark in European football in the years to come.
The young Turk joined Real Madrid earlier this summer, rejecting many other European giants in the process.
Toni Kroos mentoring Guler at Real Madrid
Guler has not enjoyed the best of starts to his life at Santiago Bernabeu, as he is spending a brief time on the sidelines due to an injury.
However, Guler has not stopped working on his characteristics, as he looks to kickstart his Real Madrid career on a positive note.
To that end, the former Fenerbahce starlet is receiving some key support from one of Real Madrid’s midfield pillars in the form of Toni Kroos.
This is according to MARCA, which suggests that the German international is mentoring Guler in his early days at Santiago Bernabeu.
Kroos: huge ‘sponsor’ of Guler
The report highlights how Toni Kroos is a huge admirer of Arda Guler. The German had even heaped praise on the youngster from Turkey when he joined the club earlier in the summer.
Guler, therefore, is closely training with Kroos, whose years of experience, composure, and knowledge of football, could help the youngster grow at Santiago Bernabeu.
This fits in well with Carlo Ancelotti’s vision at Real Madrid, as the Italian boss wants youngsters to have room to grow, especially with guidance from some of the older guards in the team.
It is one of the key reasons Real Madrid wanted to stick to Kroos and Luka Modric, despite bringing in Arda Guler and Jude Bellingham in the summer.
Guler, therefore, has the stage set for him to start his Real Madrid career on a strong note. After impressing in training, the next step for the youngster is to make a promising debut, which is just around the corner.
