Valery Karpin, the head coach of the Russian national football team, has shared a surprising anecdote about sharing drinks with former Real Madrid striker and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star played for the Spanish giants from 2009 to 2018 and has been with Al-Nassr since 2023.
— Ronaldo became so popular, even surpassing Messi in some ways. He gave us all the feeling that anything is possible in life. He never acknowledged defeat, and he’s not a party animal…
— That’s not true.
— You would know better—maybe it happened at some point.
— When he was at Real Madrid, yes, it happened.
— Is it true that your Spanish coach even suggested having a drink together?
— Not exactly. Do you think Ronaldo would allow himself a glass of wine?
— I don’t think so.
— Actually, yes, he did. And I drank with him. And maybe it wasn’t just wine. Yes, he watches his diet, but even people on strict diets have cheat days, — Karpin said in an interview on Nadezhda Strelets’s YouTube channel.
The coach also addressed other topics, emphasizing that Ronaldo’s image as a strictly disciplined athlete doesn’t mean he never indulges. According to Karpin, the Portuguese superstar is far more human than fans might imagine, capable of relaxing away from the pitch just like anyone else.
