Cristiano Ronaldo shocked the world in the summer of 2018 by leaving Real Madrid for Juventus in a €117 million move. Many years later, Giorgio Chiellini revealed the reason behind the Portuguese striker’s decision.
In an appearance on Gianluca Gazzoli’s podcast ‘The BSMT’, the former Italian international explained the veteran striker wanted to prove himself and the world he could succeed without Los Blancos.
“He [Cristiano] is respectful, almost obsessive in his care of his body and in his preparation. He wants to score and wants to win, his personality in difficult matches impressed me. He had a mad desire to break the world, he wanted to prove that he was stronger than the whole of Real Madrid,” Chiellini said.
Ronaldo left the Santiago Bernabeu with multiple titles under his belt, including four UEFA Champions Leagues and two LaLiga trophies, while he also became the club’s all-time top scorer with an impressive 450 goals in only 438 games.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus looks on during the pre-season friendly match between Juventus and Atalanta BC at Allianz Stadium on August 14, 2021 in Turin, Italy.
CR7 went on to put amazing numbers with Juventus as well, finding the net 101 times in 134 appearances. While he celebrated multiple domestic titles, Cristiano couldn’t succeed on the continental stage with the Old Lady. He left Turin in 2021 to make a sensational return to Manchester United, before joining his current club Al Nassr in January 2023.
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Giorgio Chiellini has nothing but praise for Ronaldo
In the interview, Chiellini also reflected on his time next to Ronaldo at the Serie A giants. The former center-back cemented a legacy at the club and also made a name for himself with the Azzurra, but being teammates with the Portuguese striker is something he’ll never forget.
“An honor, being captain of Juventus with him [Cristiano] was a unique opportunity. I had the opportunity to appreciate him, who is a multinational player, but he fit well in the group. Then he’s not like the others, you can’t ask him to have an aperitif in the city centre but he never failed when needed, not even at team dinners,” Chiellini said.
