“Messi is a genius, Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't born one… but he made himself one”

Luiz Felipe Scolari recently spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo, sharing several anecdotes and praises for the captain of the Portuguese National Team, with whom he worked from 2003 to 2008. In an interview on the program Abre Aspas, the Brazilian coach recalled his first contact with the Portuguese forward, Ronaldo's obsessive dedication to training, and even the moment he delivered the news of his father's passing.

Felipão began by clarifying that he wasn't the one who initially discovered Cristiano Ronaldo. “It was Murtosa [assistant coach] and Paulo Bento. Paulo had told our director that we needed to keep an eye on that player. I thought, ‘Am I going to look at a 17-year-old player? The Portuguese National Team already had Quaresma, Simão…’ I sent Murtosa to watch his games. Then the opportunity arose, and he was called up. He scored in his second game. He was called up for his qualities, but it was Murtosa who pushed for it.”

“He's an amazing person. Everything you know about him is real. He's a bit vain, dresses well, takes care of himself… But what he does for charity and how he helps many organizations, nobody knows. It's spectacular.”

The coach also recounted an interesting conversation with Lionel Messi about the Ballon d'Or, explaining why he always favored Cristiano Ronaldo in his votes. “Messi told me: ‘Boss, you never voted for me for the Ballon d'Or, you always voted for Cristiano.’ And I replied: ‘I have to vote for Cristiano, he's like a son to me.’ Messi is a genius. If he closes his eyes, he knows where the ball is. Cristiano wasn't born a genius. He made himself a genius through sheer will and dedication.”

The former Portuguese national team coach also spoke about the Portuguese star's obsession with training and revealed an incident involving Alex Ferguson, back when Cristiano was playing for Manchester United: “Ferguson would call me and say: ‘Felipão, tell him not to take free kicks today, because he's already shot 30 here.’ And then he'd arrive at the national team and want to take another 30. I'd say: ‘For goodness sake, you've already done that.’ But that's his dedication.”

“I was with him a year ago and asked him: ‘Are you working towards a thousand goals? Are you really chasing that?’ And he replied: ‘No, professor, no.’ And I told him: ‘Ah… you're not fooling me.’ He was in Saudi Arabia and told me: ‘I'm happy, they treat me wonderfully well.’ But I know he's working to reach a thousand goals. I think he'll achieve it. He has a special dedication. Ever since he was a child, when he left the island to pursue this dream.”

One of the most emotional moments of the interview came when Scolari recalled the day he informed Cristiano Ronaldo of his father's death, before a Portuguese national team match in Russia. “They called me and told me what had happened. I felt it had to be me to break the news to him. I called him to my room, hugged him, cried with him, and told him he was free to leave. And he replied: ‘The national team comes first. My father would want me to play.’ And he was the best player on the field in that game. That's how I developed a stronger friendship with his family as well.”

In the same interview, Felipão also came to the defense of Abel Ferreira, Palmeiras' coach, stating that he perfectly understands the Portuguese coach's personality. “Abel has always been like that. A person concerned with daily life and everything around him. I remember he was already worried about certain things back then, even as a player. He liked to talk, converse, ask for one thing or another for his teammates.”

“Today, I see Abel, in certain situations, reacting exactly as he would if he were in Portugal or if he were still a player. I remember him well from that time. That's why I understand, accept, and I think that, sometimes, he might act more impulsively, just as I also acted on some occasions. I don't regret it, it was my way of being. It happened. But I think he's been a concerned and authentic man since then.”

Towards the end of the conversation, Scolari also recalled a story involving Luís Filipe Vieira, former president of Benfica, and Grêmio's signing of Diego Souza.

“I was in Portugal, having dinner with Mano Menezes and Luís Filipe Vieira. Diego Souza was offered to Grêmio, but Vieira no longer wanted to do the deal because of problems he had had at Flamengo. And I said: ‘President, you can send Diego to Grêmio, I guarantee it.’ And he ended up playing very well.”