Real Madrid: "Cristiano Ronaldo was a ..." | OneFootball

Real Madrid: "Cristiano Ronaldo was a ..."

Rafael van der Vaart has never been one to hold his tongue, and his latest appearance on Dutch television only confirms it once again. Several months after dropping a bombshell anecdote claiming Cristiano Ronaldo had sent him an intimate photo, the former Real Madrid playmaker has revisited this now-viral episode. Back then, Ronaldo brushed off the story with an ironic swipe, stating he didn’t even know who Van der Vaart was. That jab only fueled the media frenzy.

Between genuine admiration and a well-placed dig

On camera, Van der Vaart this time opted for honesty with a touch of humor. He described Cristiano as “an incredible teammate,” but highlighted a key aspect of their relationship: they rarely saw each other. According to him, the Portuguese superstar was always absorbed in his preparation, his body, his almost obsessive routine. Van der Vaart playfully described Ronaldo’s discipline, mentioning “the dozens of moisturizing creams” always found in CR7’s bag.

The former Dutch international even admitted he never saw Ronaldo in the privacy of the locker room, simply because the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would arrive before everyone else and leave after all the others, focused on every detail of his preparation. Yet beneath the jabs, respect prevails: Van der Vaart admits he had “not even five percent of his motivation” during training and says sharing a locker room with Ronaldo was “fantastic.”

With these remarks, Van der Vaart ultimately reminds us of what we already know: the little digs fade, but the admiration for Cristiano’s extraordinary standards remains as strong as ever.