Cristiano Ronaldo ‘joker’ side revealed as ex-Juventus team-mate Aaron Ramsey explains what the Portuguese superstar is really like

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner demands only the highest of standards from himself and those around him – with plenty of team-mates having found that out the hard way down the years. Ronaldo is, however, prepared to relax behind the scenes when the time for work is replaced by opportunities to have fun.

Wales international Ramsey once played alongside Ronaldo at Serie A giants Juventus and has told FourFourTwo of a character that can be a little misunderstood: “He’s just like any other person! That sounds boring but it’s true. He’s a bit of a joker and likes a laugh, but when it’s time to train or play, he’s focused.”

Ramsey claims to have taken plenty of important lessons from Ronaldo, with few getting the chance to learn from such an illustrious figure. Ramsey, who has returned to his roots at Cardiff, added: “He’s one of the greatest to play the game, so to see him up close, and see how he works, was fascinating. He’s so dedicated to being the best he can be every day, and so ruthless in games. It was nice to spend time with him and watch him do unreal things.”

Ronaldo hit 101 goals through three seasons at Juventus before completing a sensational return to Manchester United in 2021. He left Old Trafford when seeing his contract terminated in November 2022 and is now one of the leading lights in Saudi Arabia football at Al-Nassr.