Cristiano Ronaldo: Managing Real Madrid one day not out of the question

Posted Friday, November 11, 2016 by ESPN

Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that he is open to the idea of managing Real Madrid after he hangs up his boots.

Ronaldo, 31, signed a new contract at Madrid earlier this week which will keep him at the club until 2021, when he will be 36.

The Portugal captain said upon signing the deal that he plans to end his career at the Santiago Bernabeu, and has now suggested that coaching Madrid after he retires is not out of the question.

"I've said before that I think I'll always be linked to Real, as a player and also when I finish my career," Ronaldo told Marca. "We'll see what happens, if I'll be a coach or something else. I can't think of that right now, but we'll see.

"I don't know, we'll see. There are people who seem like they will be very good as a coach and then they are not, and the other way around -- nobody trusts them then they become great tacticians. I don't worry too much about this, I want to enjoy the present."

Cristiano Ronaldo signed a new contract with Real Madrid this week.

Ronaldo has had a hugely successful 2016, winning the Champions League with Madrid and Euro 2016 with Portugal, while off the pitch he has recently signed a big-money contract with Nike on top of his extension at the Bernabeu.

"I have no doubt that it is the most important year of my career," he said. "Winning the Champions League with Real Madrid and the European Championship with Portugal for the first time in history.

"Individually it's also been spectacular, the best of my life no doubt. Renewing with Real, renewing with Nike, I am 100 percent sure it's the most important of my career. The best ever. I couldn't be happier."

Despite enjoying such a fruitful 2016, Ronaldo says he still does not know if it will be enough to win this year's Ballon d'Or.

"The votes don't depend on me so I cannot be obsessed about whether I'm going to win or whether I deserve to win," he said. "If you ask me if I want to win, of course I do. I will not lie, but it's not up to me.

"I don't obsess over it. Things come naturally, the captains and coaches vote and we'll see what happens, but I'm calm because what I did last season was incredible and I'm very comfortable with my performances. It was my best year, so I'm happy."