Cristiano Ronaldo is a ‘friendly guy’ who is not arrogant, according to Barcelona defender Gerard Pique.
The 29-year-old Portugal captain is often perceived in the press to be an arrogant and flashy individual, only concerned with his own image. But speaking in an interview with Marca, Pique says that image couldn’t be further from the truth.
“He may have been a bit too sincere when he said that people are jealous of him because he’s handsome, rich and a great player,” he stated. And he added: “I know him very well and he is a friendly guy. His public image does not correspond with how he is in real life.”
The pair were teammates at Manchester United for four years between 2004 and 2008 and struck up a close friendship. Pique left Old Trafford a year before Ronaldo made his 96 million euro switch to the Santiago Bernabeu, but despite the intense rivalry between the two La Liga giants, Pique and Ronaldo remain good friends off the field.
The pair enjoyed a successful spell at Old Trafford, winning Premier League titles in 2007 and 2008, and the European Cup against Chelsea in Moscow in 2008. Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or for his outstanding season that year, and picked up the prize for a second time this year.
