Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has said he always encourages youngsters who want to be footballers to follow their dreams.
At an event to make a new Fly Emirates advert, one of Real Madrid’s main sponsors, the 29-year-old offered his advice to those aiming to make it as a professional footballer. He warned that as satisfying as it is to represent club and country, it takes huge amounts of work and dedication.
“People have to follow their dreams. That’s what I tell kids who want to be footballers. It’s fantastic, but it’s difficult. You are always under pressure. They should believe in themselves and work hard,” he said.
Brazil legend Pele also took part in the making of the add, and Ronaldo said he was thrilled to be so close to one of his idols. “Being in the Emirates advert with a legend like Pelé was fantastic,” the Ballon d’Or winner said.
He also took the opportunity to discuss what it means to represent his country, and spoke about Portugal’s chances at the World Cup in Brazil this summer.
“When I was a boy, I watched the players who played for Portugal and wanted to be like them. I always wanted to play for the national team, with players like Figo. I played my first game for Portugal at the age of 18,” he commented.
And he added: “We’re not favourites in the World Cup and that’s good. It takes the pressure off. I’m confident. We have a tough group, but we’ll take it one step at a time and one game at a time.”
