Ronaldo isn't 'extraterrestrial, he's normal', says ex-team-mate

Portugal v Republic of Ireland - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

Cristiano Ronaldo is often depicted as a superhuman figure whose obsession with perfection separates him from the rest of the sporting world. However, former team-mate Danilo has offered a refreshing glimpse into the reality of sharing a dressing room with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, insisting that the Portuguese icon is far more grounded than his public persona suggests.

Ronaldo is 'normal'

Danilo, who played alongside Ronaldo at both Real Madrid and Juventus, has sought to dispel the notion that the legendary forward is anything other than human. Despite Ronaldo's incredible list of accolades and his relentless pursuit of excellence, the Brazilian defender maintains that the Al-Nassr star is remarkably relatable when the cameras are off.

Speaking about his former colleague to The Athletic, Danilo explained: "People think Cristiano is like an extraterrestrial, but he was a normal guy who would laugh and have a good time with his family. But of course, Cristiano lives for football, in almost everything that he does, to be better every day."

CR7's relentless drive for perfection

While Danilo was keen to highlight Ronaldo's human side, he did not downplay the professional intensity that has kept the veteran forward at the top of the game for over two decades. The defender witnessed first-hand how Ronaldo's mentality influences those around him, creating an environment where second-best is never an option.

"I’d played with him at Madrid. In Turin, he was more experienced but still scoring a lot of goals, still professional all the time. He pushed you, made you perform at your best in training, in games," he added.

Drawing parallels with Ancelotti

As Brazil looks toward the future with Carlo Ancelotti, Danilo sees striking similarities between the decorated Italian manager and his former team-mate Ronaldo. Both men have reached the pinnacle of the sport multiple times, yet neither shows signs of complacency or an inflated ego in the workplace.

"Ancelotti is like Cristiano. One of the most famous people in football, yet he lives the days with us like a normal person," he said. "He’s humble, and this is one of the most important abilities of champions. He won a lot, but he works as if he has won nothing."

Portugal v Hungary - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

The ultimate pursuit of the World Cup

With the ultimate dream of lifting the World Cup trophy for the first time in his legendary career, Ronaldo, at 41, is currently fine-tuning his preparations to compete in his sixth World Cup.

This historic feat of playing in six World Cup tournaments would secure his place in the record books as one of the first three players to do so in football history, alongside Lionel Messi and Guillermo Ochoa.

Portugal are slated to compete in Group K, where they will open their campaign against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17, before navigating fixtures against Uzbekistan on June 23 and Colombia on June 27.