Exclusive to Kooora: Ronaldo's former team-mate responds to arrogance accusations: the world misunderstood him
Adrien Silva, the former Portugal midfield star, has responded to the accusations of arrogance directed at Cristiano Ronaldo, the recently retired team legend, denying that he received any special treatment in the dressing room.
Silva said, in an interview with Kooora to be published later, that Cristiano Ronaldo has genuine confidence and ambition, qualities some have mistaken for arrogance.
When asked whether the world had misunderstood Ronaldo because of his great self-confidence and emotional reactions, he replied: "Sometimes, his immense self-confidence is misinterpreted. Anyone competing at the highest level needs to believe in themselves unconditionally."
"What some described as arrogance was nothing but genuine ambition and the natural frustration of someone who hates to lose," added the 37-year-old.
Did Ronaldo receive special treatment?
Did the coaches or officials of the Portuguese Football Federation treat Ronaldo exceptionally in the national team? Silva denied it, stressing that the Al-Nassr star had earned his status himself.
"Cristiano Ronaldo earned his status on the pitch, through his performances, his titles and his commitment to his country," said the former Monaco star.
He continued: "The secret behind everything working so well in the dressing room was simple: he was always the first to lead by example through his hard work, his punctuality and his dedication."
"When your captain is the one who works the hardest, that naturally earns him the admiration of the entire group," he went on.
"You cannot replace a player like Ronaldo quickly"
How do you replace Ronaldo after his retirement from international football? Not in the short term, Silva insisted, though he remains optimistic about Portugal's future.
He explained: "You cannot replace a figure of historic impact on the scale of Cristiano overnight. However, Portugal currently has an exceptional generation of talent, developed through the outstanding work of the clubs and the federation."
"There is enough quality and maturity to build a strong, united team, capable of continuing to compete for the biggest titles on the world stage," he continued.
Which player could wear the captain's armband as Ronaldo's successor? He replied: "Portugal is still in a very strong position. Players like Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva have shown leadership, character and tactical intelligence on the biggest stages of world football for several years. There will certainly be no problem."
Ronaldo and Silva: 4 years and a precious title
Silva, who retired from football last year, won 26 caps for Portugal between 2014 and 2018, lining up alongside Ronaldo in 16 of them.
Together the pair helped Portugal to the greatest title in the nation's history, UEFA Euro 2016, both playing their part in the final victory over hosts France.
Away from the international game, Silva turned out in a number of European leagues. He had spells with Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, Leicester City in England, Monaco in France and Sampdoria in Italy.
He also represented the Emirati clubs Al-Wahda and Dubai United before hanging up his boots.
Ronaldo, for his part, announced his retirement from international football last week. He followed his historic rival Lionel Messi, who had called time on his own international career about a month earlier.
The curtain came down on Ronaldo's international career 23 years after his first appearance in the Portugal shirt, in the wake of a major crisis with coach Jorge Jesus.
