'A competitive beast' - Former Al-Nassr team-mate Alvaro Gonzalez reveals what Cristiano Ronaldo is REALLY like behind closed doors

Gonzalez has opened up about the dressing room dynamics alongside Ronaldo during their shared spell at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. The Spanish centre-back emphasised that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner remained remarkably humble and consistently supported his team-mates from the moment he arrived in Riyadh. That harmonious connection left a lasting impression throughout their time anchoring the Saudi Pro League powerhouse.

Speaking on Radio MARCA, Gonzalez shed light on the superstar's warm nature behind closed doors: "Honestly, and after confirming it with other team-mates we've had in common, he's absolutely fantastic inside the dressing room."

He added: "Inside the dressing room, he's a completely normal person, approachable and someone who helps you." However, that demeanour changes instantly when kick-off arrives: "From the moment he leaves the dressing room and steps onto the pitch, he completely changes. He's a competitive beast."

Ronaldo's relentless work ethic was equally evident in training sessions, where Gonzalez never hesitated to engage in fierce physical battles with the Portuguese forward. Those intense clashes always ended amicably off the pitch: "Afterwards, we'd go to the jacuzzi, have some laughs and joke around, and it would all be forgotten."

Cementing the icon's standing alongside his long-time rival in the history books, the veteran defender concluded: "People like him and [Lionel] Messi will go down in the history of football."

The pair featured together in 11 matches across all competitions during the 2022-23 campaign, recording six victories before Gonzalez departed. Ronaldo, now 41 and contracted to Al-Nassr until June 2027, continues his pursuit of a monumental 1,000-goal milestone, having already netted 978 official goals in 1,333 appearances. That relentless ambition remains the driving force as he leads Al-Nassr on both domestic and continental fronts.