Ronaldo is human — Ex-teammate demystifies Real Madrid legend

Despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s heightened status as a global football icon, Brazil international defender Danilo recently shared that he lived an incredibly grounded life filled with the mundane and everyday people activities.

Reflecting on a privileged professional relationship that saw them share dressing rooms across two of Europe's most prestigious clubs, first at Real Madrid and subsequently at Juventus, the 34-year-old fullback detailed how the global superstar successfully balances his public persona with an ordinary lifestyle. 

"People think Cristiano is like an extraterrestrial, but he was a normal guy who would laugh and have a good time with his family," Danilo explained in a recent interview with The Athletic. 

"But of course, Cristiano lives for football, in almost everything that he does, to be better every day. 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."  

Danilo contextualised his observation by drawing a direct comparison between Ronaldo and current international manager Carlo Ancelotti, identifying a shared trait of humility. 

The defender noted that both men maintain an astonishingly relentless work ethic despite their historical, unmatched trophy hauls. 

"Ancelotti is like Cristiano. One of the most famous people in football, yet he lives the days with us like a normal person. He’s humble, and this is one of the most important abilities of champions," Danilo stated as he finalised preparations with the Seleção ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. "He won a lot, but he works as if he has won nothing."