Football news - Ronaldo says Perez to blame for Real exit, insists he should win Ballon d'Or

ByThe Editorial Team

Updated 29/10/2018 at 14:56 GMT

Cristiano Ronaldo says Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was the reason he quit Real Madrid for Juventus... and also believes he should win a sixth Ballon d'Or

The Portuguese star ended his glittering nine-year spell with Los Blancos this summer after inspiring the club to 15 major trophies, including four Champions Leagues and two Liga titles.

Ronaldo revealed in an interview with France Football, that the deterioration of his relationship with Perez was the reason behind his move to Turin.

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“I felt inside the club, especially from the president, that they no longer considered me the same way they did in the start,” he said.

He [Perez] only ever looked at me as a business relationship. I know it. What he told me never came from the heart."

Ronaldo added the move to the Italian champions was not financially driven as he could have earned more elsewhere.

Ronaldo shows off his fifth Champions League trophy

Image credit: Eurosport

“If it had been about money, I’d have moved to China, where I would have earned five times as much than here [at Juventus] or at Real.

“I did not come to Juve for the money. I earned the same in Madrid, if not more. The difference is that, at Juve, they really wanted me.”

Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) sits alongside Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (L)

Image credit: Getty Images

The 33-year-old is also adamant he should win his sixth Ballon d’Or this year, after scoring 44 goals for Real last season and seven so far for Juventus, which would see him surpass a certain Lionel Messi.

"The Ballon d'Or, yes, I think I deserve it."

"It would be a lie to tell you the opposite. I work for that. As I work to score goals and win games without being an obsession."

Should Ronaldo win a sixth golden ball he will surpass a certain Lionel Messi and the Juventus forward believes he has cemented his place in the history books.

"I already know, in my heart, that I am one of the best players in history."

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