FULL Cristiano x Piers Morgan Interview With Reaction From All-Star Sports Line-Up

21:16Piers Morgan:And the traffic is terrible. And the traffic is terrible. But for example, when we're coming back to home, it's not traffic. So yesterday, Al Nassar, they have the sponsor with BMW and all the players have a new car. So yesterday I drive home with my new BMW home. But I'm not driving like in Saudi, like one year. Well, six months, let's say. You mentioned goals. You just scored two more goals for Portugal. You then got substituted in the 77th minute. And the opposition, Hungary scored a last-minute equalizer. I can only imagine how you were feeling. I would have one rule if I was your coach. If Cristiano has two goals, never stop him getting a hat-trick.

22:04Piers Morgan:Because I know you and you would do anything in your power. to win the game, but to get a hat-trick. So how did you feel about being yanked off without being able to score your hat-trick?

22:19Honest, even the goals. Sometimes we think the easy way will be the better way. But it's not. Sometimes I know what you mean, but I have to be in the mind of the coach as well. Maybe you want to keep the result 2-1 To put another player to save the result That is fresh, that can help to defend more the team I understand And apart of that, I have to agree with the coach Because we are not all the same We are not thinking the same way So if I will stay, I will try to score the third goal But substitution sometimes is good Even if you have two goals It's not a problem for me anymore because I've scored so many hat-tricks, so one more, one less for me.

23:13Piers Morgan:Your goal-scoring record since you turned 30 is ridiculous. It's more than... More than before you were 30. I mean, there's no player in history that has that. You've scored 948 career goals now. So last week... All with videos. Exactly. So there's proof. I've heard you say that. You're right. There's proof of every goal. Do you remember your first one?

23:38What was the first goal? The first goal I scored, professional. More than it is, yes. What was the goal? You should see the goals. Is it good? Unbelievable. Really? The second goal, now the first goal, unbelievable goal. So you started with an absolute worldie? You didn't see this goal the first time? No, maybe.

23:58Piers Morgan:I need a video of this goal. Unbelievable. This was the moment that the people said, listen, this guy's going to be a good player. Really? Yes. OK, let's have a look at this. Oh, step over!

24:14Piers Morgan:First in. That's a banger. And the shirt came off. Good, huh? What a goal. Even the commentators say, this is why these players don't stay longer in our league. With 17, for me, it was a big boom for me. That feeling, that first goal, and it was a great goal, but that first goal, is that when you first got that rush? Where you were like, OK, I love this so much. No, this gives you confidence for yourself. You say, wow, I play with the men, so they want to stop me. But even with 17, I was quicker than them, smarter than them. and score. This is where you start to feel that you're going to be, I'm not going to say golden ball, whatever, but a good professional player.

25:05Who's been your favourite player to watch ever? To mention one player, I think it's not...

25:12Piers Morgan:It's the one like if the television's on and there's a match and there's a certain player in the last 20-30 years and you've gone, I've got to watch that because of this guy? I watch the game, I watch the players. To watch something because of one player? No. I watch, for example, Brazil, because they have many players. They have Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaká. Yes. I watch, I don't know, Argentina because of the players that they have. I watch Spain. I look in that way, not because of one player, honest. But I have to respect that industry of football. You have many, many, many great players and stars players, which you enjoy more than the other ones, of course.

26:00But to follow a game only because of one player? No.

26:06Piers Morgan:Could you imagine retiring? Yes. Have you got in your head an age when that may happen? Soon. But I think I will be prepared. It will be tough, of course. It will be difficult, yes. Probably I will cry, yes. Yeah, normal. And I'm an easy guy to cry. I'm not keeping my feelings. I'm honest. I'm an open person. Oh, you are? Yes. It will be very, very difficult, yes. But please, I've prepared my future since 25, 26, 27 years old. I've prepared my future. So I think I will be capable to support that pressure. What could bring you anything like the joy of football, of actually playing football? Because you clearly still love playing.

27:02Piers Morgan:What outside of football do you think could even come close to replacing that? Nothing, nothing I think. Nothing will be compared to the adrenaline that we have for football to score a goal. We'll go this way. But as I said, everything at the beginning, everything at the end. So I think I will be prepared. But I have other passions. I'm going to have more time for me, I'm going to have more time for my family to raise my kids, especially the Bella that I have three years old, that I start to feel when I travel and stay so many days in an auto with the team. Kind of a rush. I want to follow Cristiano Junior because it's in the moment of the age that it's...

27:51they're a little bit stupid, they do stupid things. Normal, because I did the same. I want to... Matteo, that he loves football as well. I want to be more family person, more present. Also, to have my own hobbies, which I like to see UFC, the fights. I like paddle, for example, it's our main sport. Are you very good at paddle? Well, we learn, me and my friends, my close of friends. It's something that we've been together, unit, so it's good. I like and I want to learn something more about my companies, other stuff about, for example, I'm never going to be a YouTuber, of course. But you've got 76 million subscribers.

28:46Piers Morgan:I want to be there. And you got there in about three months. I mean, you say you're not going to be a YouTuber. You're one of the biggest YouTubers in the world. I struggled for three years to get to four million and thought I was a genius. You come along and in about three minutes you overtook me. I'm going to spend more time on that to learn, to do more stuff. I think I'm going to do the funny things, and things that I'm not used to doing before, because as you know, for me, the perspective that I have, football is not only about to go to the training ground, training one hour and do treatment.

29:22I live football 24 hours, let's say, in that way, to do the right things, to perform, because by my age the things are getting more difficult to recover fast. But I'm enjoying this process. It's nice that you see the life with the different eyes and with the different vision. You have the different ideas. For me it's a good challenge. Even with my age I'm enjoying this period of my life because you learn so many things and you start thinking about other things, not only in football, and it makes you happy.

29:57Piers Morgan:Which of the brands that you really enjoy working with? I know that you're big in real estate for example. You have, I know about your aftershave, I use it. It's very successful I have to say. I mean people go, oh, you smell like Cristiano. But you've got so many different things you're involved with. Which of the big ones for you that you're most engaged with do you think? YouTube, we started to do a few things with YouTube. The image is always there. As you said, the real estate is my really passion and people that don't know that. I'm a challenge person in some business that people don't even dream about that.

30:36I mentioned it in the interview. I'm a person that always wants to learn. not only in the business way but also in a life for the new chapter of my life that just starts to get to get a little bit more mature in some decisions.

30:56Piers Morgan:You have, I don't want to reveal a secret, but you have a video game room around the corner with about eight consoles and I noticed you've got an eSports award there, I mean you love all this stuff, don't you? Yeah, it's the future. As you mentioned the eSports, I'm an ambassador of that. Huge event that they do it every year here in Saudi. I have to appreciate our boss, MBS. He gave me that opportunity to be the ambassador of the E-Games, which is, if you never saw, you should be here to see. It's the great event. And I'm here in the country, of course, because of him as well. So it's a guy that I really respect and I'm here because of him.

31:41So we do the fantastic things for the country, especially A game.

31:46Piers Morgan:Let's turn to the other more important deal you did recently. Which one? I did so many. Your engagement to Gio. It's the most important. I mean, come on. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry. This is the biggest deal. If not, you kill me. Yes, it's true. No, you've managed to resist getting married. No, not to resist. To your 40s. Well, you haven't got married and you're 40, right? But finally, you've proposed. So talk me through this. What made you decide to finally pop the question? I always say the good things are coming at the right time. And sometimes you need time to realise that you don't do some mistakes.

32:31I don't mean it in that way. I'm going to propose her because I think it's the moment. not only because he's the mother of my kids, but only because it's the person that I love more. He's the love of my life. So I think it's the right moment. As you say, you're 14 years old, nothing's gonna change. Nothing's gonna change just because we're gonna marry. It's just a beautiful chapter of the life, you know. It's good. How did you propose? It was funny. It was funny. I knew that one day I would do that, but I don't know which way. You know, it's difficult. You are married. When you propose to your wife, you never know the moment, the scenario, the environment.

33:26And I always say that the good things are coming in a natural way. football, life, opportunities, marriage. And it's coming in a funny way. Because she asked me something. She asked me for a ring to offer her. Because it was one of her dreams to have like a good stone. And I work, work hard, work hard. And I finally I find what she loved. And I speak with my guy and I say, listen, keep it. We're going to do it at dinner tonight. And after I'm going to offer to her. And this is what we did. But something, after I stayed with her alone, and one of my friends, they take the phone and filming, which is, they never did before.

34:20I know that friends for 10 years, they never do this. Not even ask me to take a picture, imagine. And they filming me. I said wow weird and after it was like 1 o 'clock 1 a.m. my daughters was in a bed sleeping Alana and Eva and one my friend gave me the ring to offer Gio I was given the ring and my two girls coming and they said daddy you're gonna give the ring to mom and you're gonna ask her to be married And I said, wow, is the right moment to say yes? I said, yes. It wasn't the timing. Wow! Yes, yes. I knew that I would do that one day. But you hadn't planned it for that? No. And it was the moment that my daughter's coming.

35:16And I said, yes, now is the time. This is what I want. And I offer. Because my daughter's saying that, my friends filming. And were they there, the daughters? Did you get on bended knee? I didn't do that because I was like... prepared and it was a beautiful moment. Did you make a little speech or did you just say... Yes I did. It was recorded. What kind of thing were you saying? I say simple. I'm not like a romantic guy. You sound very romantic. I'm not very romantic I'm not that kind of guy that brings flowers every week to the home. This is a big moment. One per month, let's say, not every week.

36:01But I'm romantic in my way, you understand? But it was beautiful and I knew it, that it was the woman of my life. So I did that and I hope that I do it. Did she hesitate or...? Of course not. No, but one thing that I loved, she didn't care about the ring. She asked me if I was, if I speak the truth. She said, honest, honest, yes, yes, honest. I want you, blah, blah, blah, I want to marry you, blah, blah. But she didn't believe. But it was funny. Did you cry? I didn't cry, but I was like, because I see his reaction, I had tears on my eyes, yes.

36:44Piers Morgan:And was that because of the cost of the ring? Both. Oh, I've seen that ring. Both. I've seen human beings get blinded by that ring when she walks around. It's big, it's big, I know. Last time we spoke, you'd gone through a very sad period as a family. You'd lost your baby's son, you talked very movingly about that. That kind of experience, it can damage a relationship or it can make it stronger. Clearly, in your case, it must have made things stronger for you. Do you feel that? I feel that we always support each other. Sometimes it's like in a relationship you have good moments, bad moments. It's part of the journey.

37:27But probably in that period we consolidate more the relationship because of what you say. But even, this is something that I learned by the time, even in the worst moments you have to make the things move. Because not only when you are there, in a good moment, that's not going to come the bad moments. Try to find the balance for everything, in a good moment and in a bad moment, back to the basic points, a baseline. And this is something that I learned. It was difficult periods, but it was nice, honest. It was nice because I learned so many things. I saw other perspective of the life. My daughter, now which is three years old, she's the queen of the family, she's the who makes the house happy.

38:33You know, everything happened for a reason. I believe on that. So we are a blessed family. So I'm proud for that.

38:42Piers Morgan:For those who don't know Gia, I've had the pleasure of meeting her a few times. What is it about her that made her so special to you? Well, she has so many things, good things that I love it, that I believe she's unique in that way, which is she takes care of me, which is very important. She takes care of the family, she takes care of the house, which takes a lot of work. If you want to be the opposite, I will deal with that. Men cannot deal with that, honest. And she's special for me because a part of his qualities, beautiful body and everything that I like, She's a person that understands me and takes care of me and my family.

39:36So this is what I'm looking for.

39:39Piers Morgan:Was your mom happy? Yes, I believe they are happy, my whole family. It's something that I think that it's good for our family, not just for my family, kids, wife, but also for my mum, brothers, sisters. I think they are all happy because they say, they see that I'm a groom man now. So they are happy and as I say, I'm continuing to repeat. It's a new chapter of the life. Do you have a wedding there yet? Not yet. We planned to do it after the World Cup, with the trophy. Do you know where you want to get married? We didn't plan that because she is not the person that they like big parties, she doesn't like it.

40:24She likes private things. So I will respect these decisions because I'm not... More importantly, have you decided on where the stag party is going to be?

40:35Piers Morgan:And can I go? Why not? Thank you, Cristiano. I'll do it in the interview. Is he organising it, Jose? Jose organises everything. Our CEO organises everything. Have you got a stag party? We'll be talking a week somewhere. You are part of the family. Thank you, Cristiano. I want to talk about another very sad thing that happened to you recently. You lost one of your Portugal colleagues, Diogo Jota, and it was an unbelievably shocking thing to happen. Where were you when you heard that he died with his brother in this crash? I was with Gio alone in our period of rest. I was there in the gym in the morning with Gio.

41:23I didn't believe when they sent me messages. I cried a lot. You can confirm that.

41:38It was very, very difficult moments for the country, for families, for friends, for teammates. it's the buster. Very, very, very sad news. He's 28 years old.

41:51Piers Morgan:At the peak of his game, he was playing at Liverpool, everything was going so well for him. And just reminded you how fragile life can be, right? This is why something that I mentioned before, that you have to enjoy the moments and don't plan much to the future. This is why my guys, they can confirm I'm not planning now, not Not just because of that situation, but before also with my kids, that happened. I'm not planning things in the long term, only short term because everything can change in one moment or another moment. So we have to be happy to be here and live the moments, enjoy the life because the future only goes now.

42:41But it was a shock moment. We still feel the aura there in the national team when you put the shirt. Because Diogo, it was one of us. What kind of guy was he? Very good guy, a quiet guy.

43:00A good player as you know. but very, very, how you say, he's not a guy that speaks too much. He was very, how you say, the words.

43:13Piers Morgan:Level-headed? Yes. Yes. I really like, I like it to meet him, to share with him so great moments. But it was sad. Sad. I had the opportunity to speak with their family. and to give support because these moments we cannot explain. Because he's a beautiful young wife and children. Everything is gone because of one moment. So we have to enjoy the life piece. It's hard. You didn't attend his funeral and your sister responded to people who were sort of raising questions by saying on social media that you just didn't want to turn the whole thing into an unnecessary circus circus with too much attention on you.

44:03Piers Morgan:Is that really what you were thinking? Two things. People criticize me a lot. As I say, I don't care about that because when you feel your conscience is good, free, you don't have to be worried about what the people say. But one of the things I don't do, it's after my father died, I've never been in a cemetery again. And second, as you say and you mentioned good, and you know me and you know my reputation, wherever I go is a circus. You know, I don't go also because if I go, the attention goes from me and I don't want this kind of attention. And I saw, and I'm not criticized, I just say that I didn't like it.

44:54when you go in some sensitive moment to do interviews, to speak about him, to speak about football, come on guys, what is this? You know, this show, Aus Syrkus is live sometimes. I'm not part of that. If you want to be part of this world, good luck. I'm going to be on the other side. People can continue to criticize me or they criticize me but it's gone already. I felt good with my decision. I don't need to be in the first line, people see me, they're going to speak good because Christian is coming. No, no. I'm planning the things, I'm thinking about his family, I don't need to be in the cameras for the people to see what I do.

45:50I do behind the scenes, my friends. I feel better than that, but they do it with a big propaganda and big publicity by my name, but it's okay, no problem, I understand. And to change the conversation in a funny way. If you want to enjoy a birthday, don't invite me, because if I go to your birthday, it's going to be a big mess.

46:14Piers Morgan:No, no, that's fine with me. Don't invite me, you're going to enjoy more, much more, without Cristiano, trust me. I turned 60 this year and I'm going to probably... Don't invite me, please. ...and I want you to come and ruin it. I get so many headaches every month. It could be chronic migraine, 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting four hours or more. Botox, on a botulinum toxin A, prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine. It's not for those who have 14 or fewer headache days a month. Prescription Botox is injected by your doctor. Effects of Botox may spread hours to weeks after injection, causing serious symptoms.

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47:25Piers Morgan:more you can come and be the star of the show the big dog's here don't invite me because you're not going to enjoy no i would you know why because the people they're going to say to your friends listen guys christian is coming you don't know my don't take pictures you don't know my friends they're going to drink two glasses of wine in the middle of the night they're going to say no please take a picture with me yeah we'll be a big mess my friends drink a lot more than two glasses Secondly, I will do anything for the Instagram. And you, at my party, of course, it's going to blow out the internet.

47:55Piers Morgan:I'll take any circus you want to bring. It's not a problem. No, I'm not going to be. You're going to enjoy more, trust me, Piers. The first interview we did in Turim, when you were at Juventus, and you revealed a story which was really extraordinary, that when you were 13, you were so hungry at the Sporting Lisbon Academy me that you and a friend would they you go and to a local mcdonald's and you would hang around the back and two ladies in the mcdonald's would give you free burgers and you were so grateful to them because you were so hungry literally hungry and we tried everything after that to find them and then i hear that you were walking through an airport and you randomly recently and you randomly bumped into one of them.

48:44Tell me about that. Well, it was a funny story. I land from Gihad to Lisbon. When I take off there, we are in a private area. And one of my friends, they say, Christiano, look what I see here. And I look at it. You know when you see some person, and you recognize straight away even 20 years after. and I was with my kids and with Gio and everyone and I gave a big hug to the girl and even my kids say daddy what you do and also Gio look at me and I tell them the story and it was like a moment that I I feel like wow the life is a box of surprises you never expect this moment and it was good and i was i spoke with my with my my friends we are already know who is the people and the percent and pretty soon i will do something something special i promise when i say something i try to promise and i will do it 100 and one of the person who was that girl.

50:02That's amazing. Which is we already have their number. What did she say when she saw you? Did she know that you? She was a little bit on shock because she never expected that I will recognize her. In the same way, when she saw me she said, it's Cristiano, maybe she's not gonna not even speak with me. Did she realize you had been that boy who then she did? And she tell me one thing, she say Cristiano you never imagined. Every time that you come to Portugal, I know, because I work behind the scenes, and I plan to come in here to receive you, just to see you, and they always make me a part. And this moment, because one of the persons that didn't come, I replaced.

50:48This is why I come. And I was so happy. I said, listen, this is the life. The life is brilliant because of that, and it's all about moments, chapters and everything. And I said to my friends to keep our number and we're going to do something. When I'm going to have time, I'm going to do something beautiful and special for that people who helped me in that period.

51:12Piers Morgan:Amazing story. And what's even more incredible is that your new CEO, Al Naseer, is a guy called Jose Semedo. He's standing right over there. And he was the other guy with you. Yes. Queuing up for the McDonald's from those ladies. He was 13, you were 13 and he was telling me a story, which says a lot about you, that he was actually going to be let go from the academy and you, aged 13, went to see the head of the academy and you pleaded with him to keep your friend and you added a fifth bed to a little dormitory of about four beds, it was very tight, you added a fifth bed and he allowed your friend to stay.

51:53and he went on to become a professional footballer himself,

51:56Piers Morgan:played in the Premier League, played in other leagues, and came here and is now the new CEO of Al Nassien, apparently doing very well. I think he told me that, actually. But what an amazing journey you two have been on. You both are aged 40. When you were 14, you had no money, you were hungry, you were queuing for burgers, and now you're here together living the dream. Look at life, how brilliant it is. Amazing, eh? I love it. Sometimes when I'm thinking and speak about this kind of moments, I feel emotional, you know, because life is brilliant and God's make you in a place where you deserve. And I'm going to make a challenge for you.

52:35I think you should probably make an interview to him. Yes. Because you're going to love it. He's a very, very, very, very interesting guy. I've already got the headline. Not because he's here with me, but... And he's not in CEO of Al Nassar because he's my friend, no. He has huge potential and everyone's are surprised, not... It's easy when you are around a friend, people, to say that. But speak with other people, other ones, and they say the work that they do, the potential that they have, and one of the best qualities for me. I will always put in the top. Loyalty. loyalty, honest to then take nothing which does not belong to you and these people are very rare in the world especially especially in the football and especially when it's around a lot of money and you don't buy these people in Carrefour or you don't buy these people in Amazon no, no, no so I challenge you to make intervie to you because he's a very very interesting person

53:42Piers Morgan:No, we've already discussed it. And in fact, we're going to call it the truth about Cristiano, the real story, what he doesn't want the world to know. He's going to go public. And that story is true. But he can mention so many stories are good ones. I know. He's actually a fascinating guy. He's a fascinating guy. I know how important he's been to you since you were 14. But he made it clear to me that without you, he wouldn't have stayed at the academy and he may never have played football professionally. So it's been a... I just do it my best. As you know, I'm a loyal guy too. So the loyal guy should be next to the loyal people.

54:20And this is what I did that I think they're supposed to do. But I was 12 years old. It's an amazing thing to do. My mind was like that. But I don't know how to explain. You know, sometimes in your life you do it or you do it mistakes or you do it good things that you not even realize that what is correct and what is false. But I did what I think was correct, and not because in that moment, of course, I like him, but not like now. Now it's like part of my family. I don't need to say that. But I'll tell you as well, Piers, my people around me, they are fantastic people. I'm lucky, not just Zemeido, because Zemeido is one of the best, but also I have other people on my team.

55:10He's a special guy, but I have... I'm lucky. But also, to have lucky, it brings effort. You need effort. And many of the guys who are with me, it's the guys that are inviting to come to be next to me. It's not like the family. You're born with that family. Friends or people who work with you or with you, They are different, sometimes you need to choose.

55:39Piers Morgan:I call it the 4am club. And what I mean is... 4am club. Who could you call at 4am and they would get out of bed and they would come and help you? These people. I know your guys and they're fantastic. Incredibly loyal to you, very protective, rightly. Yeah, but I think they feel the same about you. That's what's unusual. They have great respect for you. What do we take from this life? It's family and friends, you know, relationships, chapters, whatever you have. If you don't have good people around you, you're not going to be happy. So this is what I think. And I repeat, I'm a lucky guy that, not because I have good family, but I also have very, very, very good friends.

56:29Not just because they work for me, I call them friends. because anyway they are friends even if they want other challenge I'm never going to close that door but all they always will be my friends so for me it's

56:44Piers Morgan:it's a place tell me about your fitness because people look good you're looking very good I mean obviously you haven't got these abdominals we've addressed that before but you're working at it and I think you're making good progress they're Are they like... Do you mind if I just... Yeah, it's like hitting granite. Not quite the same. Not quite the same here, but... They say you've got a body of like a 28-year-old. That's what I've read. I wish. That's what your team will think, right? Do you feel that? I mean, do you feel that... You don't look 40. You don't have the physique of a 40-year-old.

57:19No, I'm not. Physically, I think I look much more younger, of course. because I start to do it gym since 12, 13, 14, 15.

57:32Piers Morgan:Do you go every day? Do you do something every day? No, not every day, but I try to maintain a consistency in my life. Do you do something every day? Do you do something physical? I sleep good, I do good routines, I do a good recover, I work good in the gym two, three times per week of weights, two times per week, four minutes and a half. I burn because of football. It's just consistency. If you have consistency, it's easy. Trust me. Which athletes in modern history do you look at as great examples that maybe have inspired you in terms of the way they take care of themselves? Inspiring me. Inspiring you, yeah.

58:13Inspiring by myself.

58:15Piers Morgan:Who have you looked at? I saw good examples in other sports as well. For example, I don't know, basketball LeBron James. I think we are the same age. I met him the other day. Very nice guy. I have more hair than him. You do, and he's learning golf, but he's not very good. Now's a good time to play him at golf. But I think it's good because he still plays football, basketball, and he's in good shape. Other ones, Modric, still looking good. Yeah. Was he 41 now, Modric? No, he's at my age. I think 39, 40s.

58:56Piers Morgan:So Novak is here, he's playing in the Six Kings thing. And he said yesterday, you're one of his role models, he named you, for wanting to continue playing into his 40s. Because they all said, look, now that Sinner and Alcarez are kind of the new top guys, will you retire? And he's like, actually, I want to keep going. I want to keep proving to myself I can keep going. and he named you as the example, so you're inspiring him. That probably feels good, right? To inspire the greatest tennis player in history. I think it's good when you have other sports, other people, they speak good about your name.

59:32It means a lot. And Novak is a great example of greatness in the sport. So it's good. I'm glad from his words.

59:42Piers Morgan:Do you feel now, obviously you're probably not as quick as you were, so you know the initial you were a winger, a flying winger and so on, you changed your position, the way you play football and so on, but do you think as an actual goal scorer, because your record for Portugal recently has been insane, you've obviously been scoring an enormous number of goals here in Saudi Arabia, and your record since 30 has got better than it was in the previous period of your career, but do you think you're a better natural finisher now than you've ever been? I think I've always been a good, a top finisher, I think.

1:00:17Probably more, I'm focused more on that, because, as you mentioned, by the age you start to lose some things and you have to improve other things. And some things that you always can improve is mentally. And this is where I'm focused. To be mentally good, fresh, because the brain doesn't go faster, you don't get older faster than the brain. You feel more physically. I mean, professional players. And I am an adaptor. But the finisher, finisher, of course, with the first three, four, five years, I wasn't very, very good. I was good, but not top. But after 25, I think I was very similar. If you ask my teammates, if you ask my friends, they will say the same.

1:01:17Probably more, now I'm more focused on that. Because I'm not winger anymore and I played the last...

1:01:25Piers Morgan:Well, I watched your school the other day and it's just your movement. Because I think in the penalty area, I'm not going to tell you how to score goals, But in the penalty area, a lot of it is last-minute movement, I think, by the top strikers. It's their ability to get away from a defender very quickly in the box. You should be fresh mentally. Right. And I watched the way you took them and they look relatively easy. They don't look like that goal you just showed me. But the movement and the awareness and then the finish, that's not easy. If it was, everyone would do it. Of course. So that's an instinctive thing, isn't it?

1:01:59I think so, yes. Things you learn by the time, you learn by the experience. And one thing that I think makes the difference is you can improve all the time. Even with my age, you have some points that you can improve. And this is the biggest mistake of the players. They think they know everything and they don't learn more. If you see an instance of the football, the players, after when they get 30s, they slow down. And I'm opposite. I scored more goals after third. And you can say whatever they want, because most of the times the people speak about football. They don't have nothing.

1:02:38Piers Morgan:Wayne Rooney, your old colleague, said last week that he doesn't hate you. People have said that he did. He loves you. He called you a genius. He said you're much closer than people realise. But he still said Messi's better. No problem. No problem. That's a very different value, Alcay Cristiano. No, but it's serious. I'm not mad with that. For me, it's okay. You can choose whatever you want. Do you get on well with Wayne? Do you have a friendship with him or not really? When we used to play, we had a good relationship. Not friends like me. That kind of friends, the relationship that I have with these guys.

1:03:21they come in one time per week or two to have a dinner with me or lunch. But we have good relationship. In football, I don't have friends that come to my house for lunch or dinner. When I mean friends, I have good relationship, but friends, friends for me, it's a different word. For me. But relationship was good. Like Ferdinand was a friend, yes. I still maintain this relationship with him. I'm a sociable man. And I respect. It's like in Al-Assad, I'm good with everybody. But friend, friend, I think it's a very, very deep word, in my opinion. But I'm nothing against him, trust me, Pierce. It's okay.

1:04:10It's own things. what he loves the most, players or decision makers. For me, it's not a problem. I respect him.

1:04:30More when we play, because I think he does so many good things for Manchester United. We win, we won so many things together. But it's OK. And these words that he say, thank you to him. That he say that I'm a genius, whatever he prefers. No problem. No problem. For me, it's all good. If I see him around, I'm shaking his hand, I give you a hug. For me, it's not a problem. I don't have time to be against people anymore. It's OK. I respect everybody.

1:05:03Piers Morgan:The goals are the ultimate answer to any criticism, aren't they? I mean, if you're a striker, if you just keep scoring at the rate you score, and like I said, they can look at the Saudi league and say it's not as good. Ah, excuses. But actually, look at Portugal, is what I say. Look at your record with Portugal. Recently it's been off the charts. Excuses. Excuses is the most simple way. For everything. Excuses, excuses, excuses. Year by year, year by year I scored more. Even in a bad year, I scored 25 goals. If I play in the Premier League now, in a top team, I will score the same. The last full season you played?

1:05:43Easy. If I have a good team with 14 years old, I will score the same.

1:05:49Piers Morgan:Your last season in the Premier League, full season, you got 18 Premier League goals. I think one below Harry Kane, all the same as Harry Kane, and six Champions League goals. Well, any team would take us quite a bit. to speak because they can say whatever they want but the numbers they don't like they can say Saudi league they never been here they never play here they don't know what to run with 40 degrees they don't know and i still continue and i repeat the Saudi league the Saudi league it's much better than Portuguese league of course French league is only PSG Premier League is good, of course, it's the number one.

1:06:30And they should count even, they should count like the goals, to be the top scorer, the golden ball. Why they don't count Saudi League? Why? You see, look how many players, top players we have in the league. Check, ask the other players if the league is good. Don't ask to me because it's easy to ask me because I'm always saying the same, I could say that because he played in Saudi. No, no. Listen, I play everywhere. Everywhere. For me it's more easy to score in Spain than to score in Saudi.

1:07:01Piers Morgan:By the way, do you accept that you're only here because of me and that interview? Probably. So, given you're now a billionaire and you've made probably half of it here... I wasn't... Where's my cut? Where's my commission? Yeah. You're on the verge of what would be a truly, even by your standards, incredible achievement, a thousand goals. No one's ever come close to this. Is there a scenario in your head, given the timing, that you might score your thousandth goal at the World Cup next year? And is that something that, quietly in the back of your mind, you would think? No, I'm not. I don't think about that.

1:07:41And maybe I was surprised with my answer. If you ask me, Christian, is it a dream to win the World Cup? No, it's not a dream. Really? Yes. To win the World Cup, none will change my name in history of football. I'm not going to lie. One thing that I'm sure, that I enjoy the moment. And I learn by the time that the moment is the most important thing that we have. We are not qualified already. Enjoy the moment. The moment is good. I played three days ago in Hungary in a sporting stadium. Maybe it was my last game in that stadium, we never know. I'm enjoying it. My mum was there, my family was there, and it was good.

1:08:33People said, Cristiano will be the greatest if he wins the World Cup. I'm not agreeing. I win three titles for Portugal, the story of Portugal.

1:08:41Piers Morgan:You know my view of this. I believe you are the greatest footballer to ever play the game. Thank you. You also know there's a raging debate, right, I say Messi is not even the best Argentinian. Maradona was better than him. How many World Cups did Argentina win before Messi? How many? I don't know. Two times? Yeah, maybe two. But it's normal. These countries are used to win big competitions. Brazil, if they win the World Cup, they will surprise the world. No. If Portugal win the World Cup, which is possible, they will shock the world. Yes. But in my mind, I don't think in that way. Of course, you want to win.

1:09:18When you compete, you want to win. I'm honest. For me, it's not going to change the way I see the things and the way I see the football.

1:09:27Piers Morgan:Do you believe you've earned the right to be considered the greatest of all time? Of course. Oh, one of the best for many people, yes. But number one? But I don't care about that anymore. Serious. Really? I say so many things, I say so many interviews where I think if I say something now the people are not going to surprise. This story speaks for itself. They have opinions. Some people like my blond, some people like my dark. It's okay, no problem for me. But to change this story, the history of Portugal, to save Cristiano Will the World Cup, this doesn't make sense for me. I win. We won. Three titles for Portugal history.

1:10:11Before Portugal, never won nothing. I'm glad, I'm so happy. You would love it, Cristiano, to win the World Cup. Yeah, but not obsession.

1:10:20Piers Morgan:I understand what you're saying. I swear for my kids. But I still think that image of you... I don't agree. I'm not agree. Really interesting. Yes, I'm not agree. Because Portugal never won the World Cup. Yeah, but they can win. Yes, we're going to fight for that. But... But it shouldn't define you as a player. No. We define when I'm 14 years old or 41, to define what? To define if I'm one of the best of history. To win one competition, six games, seven games. You think it's fair? It's not fair. When you go to the World Cup in America, David Beckham is the most, along with Messi now, but Beckham is the kind of guy that went to America and became this sort of superstar.

1:11:02Piers Morgan:You play with Beckham, you compare to Beckham a lot, not least your looks. I'm not going to compare the football because to me he's not in the same league as you as a footballer. However, do you think you're better looking than David Beckham? Depends. Are you more handsome?

1:11:21Depends. Depends. Because for me the looking is not only the face. The looking is all packaged. Like this? If you put me, not anymore, but imagine, Cristiano. Yeah. Not Cristiano. A normal guy with the speedos, red speedos, in a Copacabana to drink coconut water. You think I'm not going to get a chance with nobody? No, you're going to do well. OK, sorry.

1:11:53Piers Morgan:You're going to do better than me with a Copacabana. I can actually confirm you can do better than me. I've beaten the Copacabana. Nobody noticed. So, yeah, I can confirm. No, I'm joking. You're not really. Depends. Depends. Depends on the perspective of the people. But it's OK. You're looking good. I'm looking good. We're both looking good. Come on, you and Beckham, you're walking across the Copacabana for, say, ten minutes. Who gets the most attention? Not famous? Not famous, just your body. Me. 100%. I knew it. I knew you. Come on, Piers. I agree with you. You agree. Thank you. I'm just trying to tease it out of you.

1:12:28Thank you. I don't need that but imagine something. No one's looking at Beckett. Come on, come on. He know that. His face is beautiful and some face. The rest is? The rest is normal. Like, it's normal. I'm not normal. I'm perfecto.

1:12:49Piers Morgan:Also, he has too many tattoos, doesn't he? Don't you think? I don't know. Do you think you should have that surgery? He's covered in tattoos. Absolutely covered in them. Well, but he's looking good. He's a guy that I like. He's a guy who speaks good. I like him. I like him. Do you still talk to Sir Alex Ferguson? I met him at the Champions League final. Long time ago. When I was there in Manchester, I used to speak more with him, and he used to come to my house for tea. He'd drink tea with milk. He's a good man. He's a person that I'm always going to have in my heart because he's a sir, you know, he's a person who really helped me in my life and my career.

1:13:34Piers Morgan:I mean, really, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but was he, because your father died when you were still very young, do you think he became a bit of a father figure too? Father in football, yes. Like a guy who guided me, yes. In that way, yes. He was a guy who always maintained his words, what we say, he promised. very good man and I respect him a lot. Best manager you played under? You've had so many. What I say by the players, I'm kind of saying in the coaches, which is, depend. I had the opportunity to work with the best managers in the world. So I'm a lucky person. To mention one for me is not correct, it's not fair.

1:14:21But many people mention, my favourite player is this one. I'm not that guy. I like to say that all of them help Cristiano to be what I am right now.

1:14:37Piers Morgan:This President Trump, a friend of mine, was given a CR7 shirt by the Portuguese European Council President, Antonio Costa, in June at the G7 summit. and you wrote on it to President Donald J. Trump playing for peace. What did you mean by that? If the world is in peace, it's our goal. It's one of the guys that can change or help to change the world. And this is my main goal. It's one of the, listen, one of the most important guys, of course, is US president. If we can help each other to make this happen, because I swear, I can't watch TV. It's been awful. I don't watch. I swear, I can't. Sometimes I start to see the news.

1:15:30I can't. I can't. And one of the guys, one of the guys that I want to meet, I wish one day, if you have an opportunity... I can make that happen. Make that happen or tell him that one of the guys that I want to see to have a nice talk, it was one of the guys. Donald Trump. Donald Trump. here, US, whatever he wants. I know he was here in Saudi with our boss, MBS. I wish one day to meet him, to sit with him, because he's really one of the persons that I really like him, because I think he can make things happen. And I like people like that.

1:16:08Piers Morgan:I mean, I say whatever you think of Trump, and people have very strong they do about you as well. But I think that he believes in peace, not war. It makes him unusual for a Republican-American president. I've spoken to him many times. He really wants peace. And I admire what he's achieved in stopping the bombing in Gaza. I admire what he's trying to do in Ukraine with Putin, trying to stop the bombing. I think these are admirable things for him to be doing. And following what you said to him, I think he's trying to deliver on what you asked. I wish that the world goes for a peace way. Soon. This is what I'm looking for.

1:16:51And I will tell them something. Nobody knows this. But maybe one day if you have the opportunity, I'm going to sit with him and I'm going to tell him. Probably, no, 100 % you don't know. That we had something in common. Something that we share.

1:17:09Piers Morgan:Really? Yes. Not in your interior. I will tell him. You can't take a camel to the oasis. It's very nice. You're going to like it. Really? Yes. How fascinating. Fascinating. Christiane is a worldwide man. Oh, I know that. Yeah. Now more than before, but... You know what you've done now? With 18s, 19s, 20s, I was there in the US so many times. Yes. But this is like taking a camel to the edge of an oasis. But it was funny. And then saying you can't have a drink. You will like it. This is torture. I love this. If you have opportunity one day, tell him. Well, his son, Baron, is a big fan of yours. He told me that.

1:17:49Piers Morgan:Yeah? He's a fan. He loves it. Good. His son is coming as well. Oh, yeah? Okay, well, we'll get Baron, Donald. Obviously, I'll have to be there. If you want to be, it's allowed. Thank you, Christiane. I'll come as your assistant. Perfect. That would be an amazing... I think we can make that happen. I think he'd love to meet you. Perfect. He's a person that I... You're the two most famous people on the planet, right? You're the most followed person on Instagram. He is the most famous popular human being. We'll do it in a debate for the world. Who is the most famous, me or... Or Donald Trump. ...Self-President Donald Trump.

1:18:20What do you think? In the world.

1:18:21Piers Morgan:What do you think? Me. Really? Well, you've got more followers on Instagram. You've got more followers than anybody. I think worldwide, even in that small island, they know me more than him. Really? Yes. That's a fascinating debate. You think you'd win that? Yes. You probably would. You probably would. I think in the world, nobody's more famous than me. Do you think anyone there, because of social media... Tell me one. Tell me one. Your opinion. In my opinion, in my lifetime... This generation, now, this... Right now... 2025. Right now, you and Donald Trump, both together. I think it's a very interesting debate.

1:19:06Piers Morgan:I would say in my lifetime I would add Princess Diana, probably the Queen. But not now, because they're no longer with us. But in my lifetime, maybe Nelson Mandela would be the most famous, iconic people. But I think right now... Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson at his peak. At his peak. But I think right now it's you and Donald Trump. It's a good debate. It's a great debate. You're pretty... Let's make that happen. I think that'd be great. You see, now it's the map of the world. Have you ever been anywhere where no one has recognised you? 20 years ago, yes. Not anymore. But not now? No. Is there anywhere you could go?

1:19:48Piers Morgan:Could you go to an igloo in Iceland? Even though they know you, right? Yes. Do you like that? No. It is what it is. I'd quite like that. No, please. No? It's boring, trust me. It's too much? It's boring, yeah, too much. You could be too famous. I wish to not be so famous. Really? Really. Really. It's boring, trust me. But if I said to you, alright Christiane, you can have all the success as a footballer you've had, but you're going to have no fame. Oh, I will sign. You would? Of course. Of course. Of course. Of course. 100%. Fascinating. 100%. I never want to be famous, never. I want to be successful, I knew it since the beginning, when I was young, that I would be, let's say, a star.

1:20:43But to be so famous, I never, never, never want it. It's boring, trust me. But it is what it is. I will be born in that way.

1:20:52Piers Morgan:You're the most famous and the richest and most successful footballer in history. Not bad. Christiano, brilliant to catch up with you. I wish, listen, to don't do the interview with you in three years. I want less. Okay. Less. But before, you will do the interview with my CEO. No, no, definitely. No, I think you would be a great interview. I totally agree. Perfect. Your story together is unbelievable and I will do that. And I think my next interview with you could be… And we can do something. imagine me you sir Mr Trump yes in one table yes it'll be fun I think this is a great idea different yes like around at the White House it'll be even better why not you've got to play imagine I haven't even got to buy a head ticket no problem I'll come with you something different beautiful good conversation I think he would love it I mean to promote the World Cup in his country what could be better oh look I'm going to make this happen something OK, perfect.

1:21:56Piers Morgan:But make sure if I do make it happen, you don't cut me out, all right? We have a deal? You're part of the family. We have a deal? You know that. Christiano, great to see you. Thank you very much. Say my best to all the family. Thank you. Thank you, Piers. And congrats on the forthcoming marriage. Thank you. It's a big moment for a man. Thank you. And if you need a best man, you know where to find me. OK. I'm good with speeches. Thank you, guys. Take care. Perfect. Exactly three years ago, I sat down with Cristiano Ronaldo for what I would humbly describe as one of the most seismic interviews in sporting history.

1:22:30Piers Morgan:The whole world saw it and the whole world knows what happened next. Ronaldo's become football's first billionaire, the apex of a sporting revolution in the Middle East. For all of his many critics, he continues to command global attention and he continues to bang in goals. This interview was very different to our last one, but no less compelling. By his own admission, it's the most revealing personal interview he's ever given. And as usual, he's given us all plenty to talk about. I've assembled a star panel of sporting luminaries to give you their verdict. And we'll hear from some special guests along the way.

1:23:02Piers Morgan:Well, joining me now is the Bain Sports anchor, Richard Keyes, the Sports Illustrated correspondent, Henry Winter, and the journalist and biographer to both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Guilherme Balaguer. Well, welcome to all of you. Let's start with World Cup ambition, chaps, because it was quite interesting for me, certainly in the moment, to hear what Cristiano said about the upcoming World Cup, which, of course, is in the United States and Mexico and Canada. Let's take a look. If you ask me, Cristiano, is it a dream to win the World Cup? No, it's not a dream. But to change this story, the history of Portugal, to say if Cristiano will the World Cup, this doesn't make sense for me.

1:23:45I win. We won. Three titles for Portugal history. Before Portugal, never won nothing. I'm glad, I'm so happy. You would love it, Cristiano, to win the World Cup. Yeah, but not...

1:23:57Piers Morgan:I understand what you're saying. I swear for my kids. But I still think that image of you, if you could... I don't agree. I'm not agree. Really? Interesting. Yes, no, I'm not agree. Because Portugal never won the World Cup. Yeah, but they can win. Yes, we're going to fight for that. But... But it shouldn't define you as a player. No. We define when you're 14 years old or 41, to define what? To define if I'm one of the best of history. To win one competition, six games, seven games. You think it's fair? It's not fair. So, Henry Wintour, let me start with you. I thought it was a very interesting response by Cristiano because it almost looked like he was trying to get ahead of what may happen in what will almost certainly be, he'd never rule out anything with him, but probably will be his last ever World Cup.

1:24:45Piers Morgan:And that if Portugal were to come up short, he doesn't want his failure to ever win the World Cup with Portugal to be something that diminishes his legacy. Is he right to sort of put that marker in the sand, you think? Yeah, I think I can understand that. There's a lot of sand around him. So, yeah, inevitably. I found fascinating coming through your interview, Piers, was how much everything is performance related, whether it's on the field, whether it's off the field. And he very much views his achievements through the prisms of what he has achieved in terms of trophies. And I think most of us would agree that he is in the top five footballers of all time.

1:25:29But I just think the World Cup, I mean, you put Pelé at number one, you put Maradona in there, you put Messi in there, and then we can have an argument over four and five. But because of that World Cup, it is so huge. And I think that I can understand his attitude and what he is doing with Portugal, who are not the biggest country in the world, absolutely overachieving with them, what is it, 160 goals in 225 appearances, two in his last international, I think, against Hungary. It is phenomenal what he's doing. But to actually achieve that, which Messi did last time, I'm sure he's driven by that for the World Cup at, what, 40-41, which is goalkeeper country.

1:26:13So for him to do it as an outfield player pushes him higher up the rankings.

1:26:17Piers Morgan:Yeah, well, we're going to come to the Messi and who's the go-to-football debate in a moment. But Richard Keyes, this thing about the World Cup, it's going to be massive next year. You know, it could be the breakthrough moment that America has often promised but never delivered with what they call soccer. And Ronaldo and Messi, they will both be there as enormous figureheads because Messi's already in the country and Ronaldo will go there with Portugal. How important is it, do you think, to Ronaldo's legacy, given that Messi has won a World Cup? Does it matter whether Cristiano wins one or not?

1:26:55Can I just say, first of all, Piers, that I thought he was self-effacing, occasionally funny, very honest, a little ego-driven, but then that's all right because we all are. And he certainly threw some big names around. And I'm talking about the interviewer, not Cristiano.

1:27:17I thoroughly enjoyed the interview, really. I don't agree with Henry. I don't think he's got to win. He won't win the World Cup. Let's get that straight. Portugal are not going to win the World Cup. And I don't think he has to win the World Cup to be considered one of the greats. He is without question now. I do agree with Henry that he is one of the top five. But in my five, you see, I've got a guy called George Best who played in a very different era, never went to a World Cup, would never ever have dreamt about going with the country that he represented. Um, I, Cristiano has done everything he needs to be considered.

1:27:56As I say, one of the very best footballers of all time. You, you have him out there on his own. I'm not sure. Um, so, so forget that as regards, you see with Messi, I think Cato was perfect for both Argentina who, again, Cristiano is right. You would expect to see a country of that size, but they have done twice before Messi did here, but it was a tournament set up for Messi. And when I say that, I mean no travel. He checked into a hotel at the start of the tournament, slept in the same bedroom and bed until the end of the tournament. And I've discussed this with Arsene Wenger, who agrees. If he were playing, and he is, they won't have the same impact with the travel between perhaps Canada, Mexico, America.

1:28:40The travel is a massive factor in these tournaments. Henry knows he's done it. Guillaume too. This was perfect. So Messi wins a World Cup. I don't wish to belittle the achievement. I'm not doing that. But he wins a World Cup that was perfectly set up for him. Cristiano is not going to have that run in his favour. He's going to have to just go in and mix it with the rest of them. He's been magnificent. Kenny Dalglish always said the debate came up, Messi or Ronaldo, he always said, I'll take the one you don't want. For me, it's always been Cristiano because he challenged himself everywhere in the hardest league in the world and conquered it in Spain at a time when And Real weren't at their very best and conquered Italy and conquered it.

1:29:24Messi didn't do any of that. Cristiano, for me, personally, as I say, one of the top five. Of the two, I would take him any time.

1:29:34Piers Morgan:Very interesting. Well, Guillaume, let's come to you specifically on that debate. Let's take a look, listen to remind ourselves what Cristiano said about the Messi debate. There's a raging debate, right, whether Messi is... I say Messi's not even the best Argentinian. Maradona was better than him. How many World Cups did Argentina win before Messi? How many? I don't know. Two times? Yeah, it won't be two, I think. But it's normal. These countries are used to win big competitions. Brazil. If they win the World Cup, they will surprise the world. No. If Portugal win the World Cup, which is possible, they will shock the world.

1:30:10Yes. But in my mind, I don't think in that way.

1:30:16Piers Morgan:you know he's made it clear to me that that he said in the last interview i did with him that the best footballer he's ever seen he said was messy but he believes he eclipses him and actually i think for many of the reasons that richard just articulated and i you know when i dinner with him the first time i interviewed him uh about seven eight years ago now uh guillem i we sat outside beautiful restaurant cheering and we were talking about this and he said look there have been a lot of footballers who've reached the level of him and Messi, but only for a few years. And he cited people like Ronaldinho, R9 Ronaldo, and so on.

1:30:52Piers Morgan:George Best, Paul Gascoigne. And I think it was a very compelling argument. He said, look, he said, the reason I think that Messi and me are out there, we've done this for 20 years. You could add Pelé to the mix because he won three World Cups and clearly had the longevity. But I do think longevity is an important factor when you determine who is the goat of any sport, actually, whether it's, you know, Djokovic in tennis, whether it's, you know, Michael Jordan in basketball. The goats don't tend to be the ones, Tiger Woods in golf, they don't tend to be the ones who only do it for three or four years at the very peak.

1:31:25Piers Morgan:So he accepted to me that there have been players who've played at their level, but not for 20 years. And I thought that was an interesting criterion. Where do you see? You've done books on both Messi and Ronaldo. So when push comes to shove, Guillem, who's the greatest? I also did a book on Maradona, and I think the most controversial thing that was heard in the interview was you saying that Maradona should be ahead of Messi. Okay, but wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I'm going to play you. You've teed up me perfectly for a clip from Fabrizio Romano, the king of transfers. Listen to what Fabrizio gave me a video, which said this.

1:32:04Piers Morgan:Hello, Piers. Fabrizio Romano here. I want to say congrats on your interview. It was fantastic. So always a pleasure to hear from you and Cristiano. For me, the GOAT is a different conversation. And look, while I'm recording this video, I'm in Napoli, my city. I was born here. And in Napoli, I don't know if you have ever been here at a football game or around football things, but in Napoli, there is only one thing that goes beyond life, beyond football, beyond sports. and this Diego Armando Maradona considered like God. But the Cristiano Messi conversation remains fantastic to follow. Congratulations on your interview.

1:32:41Here we go. I will see you soon. Ciao.

1:32:44Piers Morgan:Pretty clear there, Guillermo. He agrees with me that Messi is not even the best Argentinian. It was the great Diego who, of course, won two Serie A's in four years in Napoli who've never won it before or since. Fabricio said, and I agree with this, that Maradona is God. Absolutely. Agreed. we're talking about a different discussion which was the best player and you were talking about longevity Maradona lasted at the peak two years when he was on decline still won but it was two years that he was at his best for different reasons that we know in the case of Cristiano and Messi I'll propose something to the three of you see if you agree Messi, no, start with Cristiano Cristiano the best striker in history Messi the best player in history Does that work?

1:33:33Because there is something that Messi has done, especially as he progressed towards his physical decline, which is to actually get away from the goal and see the picture of the whole pitch and still be very, very influential. Ronaldo scores goals. So does Messi. But he does something else. So you know where I think about this debate. I would say both of them absolutely extraordinary. I will agree, top five. But Messi has got something that we've never seen ever before in the history of the game.

1:34:06Piers Morgan:You know, Henry, we talked separately in the interview about him approaching 1 ,000 goals in football, which he's inevitably going to get to. I suspect he'll be trying to time it for the World Cup because obviously he's got a healthy ego. That's what makes him what he is. I suspect Messi does quietly. You know, he probably wakes up every morning and thinks, yeah, I'm Lionel Messi and bangs his chest. Why wouldn't he? But in terms of this, it's a perennial debate. For you personally, let me give you a scenario. It's a wet Wednesday in Stoke, the fabled wet Wednesday in Stoke. It's pouring with rain.

1:34:40Piers Morgan:It's freezing cold, as it often is in Stoke, particularly at this time of year. And you've got to choose one of them to score to save your life. Which one is it? I love the fact that any conversation about Cristiano Ronaldo inevitably just goes into a debate about who is better, Messi or Ronaldo. I mean, I've been involved in the Ballon d 'Or for the last 20 years and the two of them, and one thing we have to say, I think all four of us will agree on, how privileged we are to be in the era of two of the greatest five footballers of all times. I mean, Guillaume makes a really important point there, and just coming back to the rainy night in Stoke.

1:35:20Poor old Stoke. I mean, to be fair, it does shine occasionally there. And you look at what another really good player, Lou Macari, is doing there in terms of lighting up the city with his community. But I just think that if you had a choice between the two to stroke your soul, to really quicken the adrenaline, it would be the sight of Messi weaving through a defence rather than Cristiano Ronaldo taking the fight. That wasn't my question. As you say. OK, so your question is who is going to win? I mean, that's, I think... No, no, who's going to score to save your life? The tenor of your question is actually who's got the sort of the moral courage and the boldness and the ability, all those key components that makes the great players, and both of them are, to do it on a wet night in Stoke.

1:36:08And I don't think you can say that Messi, who I've seen get kicked absolutely to pieces, Maradona as well, 90, remember that. I covered that Brazil game in 90 in Turin, and he got absolutely kicked to pieces. So Messi has got that courage to do it, whatever the rain. Unfortunately, he's the last one on the pitch to feel the rain. But I wouldn't have a problem with either of them. Taking a penalty, taking a free kick, it's probably equal. I would say in the air, Ronaldo would win it. So if it's a Ryan Shawcross flicked on header from a Rory De Lapp throw, then I would go for Ronaldo. But let's not belittle Messi because what a player.

1:36:51And I would have him just ahead of Ronaldo in my top five.

1:36:55Piers Morgan:Yeah, and just to remind, you know, what I said earlier, when I had dinner with Cristiano, he said Messi was the best he's seen. But he said he's second after him. I think you've got to believe that, I think. To be one of the greats of football, you've got to think you're the best, I think. Wait for a moment, panel. I'm going to bring you back in to respond to my next guest, who is Mark Goldbridge. He's the host of the United Stand, one of my favourite YouTube channels possibly in the world, Mark Goldbridge. Watching your insane ranting is extremely entertaining, particularly when Arsenal stick it to your lot.

1:37:29Piers Morgan:But specifically about Manchester United, I thought that obviously the last interview I did with Cristiano was pretty seismic in terms of leading to his departure from United. He made his feelings very clear about the club. And this time he was more measured. He was more temperate. I don't think he wanted to rattle as many cages. Let's take a look at what he said.

1:37:53I'm sad because of the club that's one of the most important clubs in the world and a club that I still have in my heart because of the obvious reasons. You have to follow with the intelligent people, smart people, to create a base for the future as Manchester United have so many years ago. Nicky Butt, Carries, Roy Keane, Beckham, they become big players but they had youth. So Manchester United right now, they don't have a structure. We have all to be honest and look for ourselves and say, listen, they are not in a good path. So they need to change. And it's not only about the coach and players in my opinion.

1:38:45There's a young Portuguese

1:38:46Piers Morgan:coach there now, Amarim. What do you make of him? He do it to his best. What are you going to do? Miracles? Miracles is impossible. So Mark, what did you make of what Cristiano said there about United? him. I actually found it really enlightening because I think the last interview he did with yourself, as much as he did say very similar things, I'm a massive fan of Ronaldo, but I did think walking out of Man United, there was an element of, it was a bit self-serving because he needed to cast himself in a good light. I think right now with Manchester United, we've actually had some good results.

1:39:22Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't need to grind an axe against Manchester United. So we need more people to do this. I think there's more ex-players that should do this. I think there's a lot of United fans that will listen to that at a time when we're doing well and go, you know what, why is Ronaldo saying that there needs to be better structure or we're miles off? Because it's probably true. And he is somebody that obviously was there with Sir Alex and saw how good the club was. But he's also someone that's been there quite recently and has seen the structure years later and knows what it takes to win.

1:39:52And I remember some of the interviews when he was at the club saying that there's players at this football club that don't want to put the work in that aren't Manchester United players.

1:40:02Piers Morgan:Yeah, it's interesting. I mean, to be fair to Cristiano about the recent success that United have had on the pitch with a run of games, this was done just before that. But I don't think it would have changed his overview. His overview is not that United win two or three games on the bounce. He'd expect that. His overview is that United need to be competing for the top trophies. And he said in the interview that he thinks the Premier League is gone this season again for United. He's probably right about that. I don't think anyone expects United to win the Premier League. I think even you would admit, in your most grudging, darkest moment, that it's more likely to be won by my team.

1:40:36Piers Morgan:But we shall see. We've been the bridesmaid a lot, not the bride for a while, so let's see what happens. But I think he's right, and I think what he was shocked by, he said to me in the last interview, he was really shocked to go back to Old Trafford all those years later. And despite the fact, you know, I remind people, He scored 24 goals in the Premier League and Champions League in that last full season he played at United. But he was shocked by how everything just seemed to be going backwards there. A club that was always on the front foot was Sir Alex, always looking forward, always changing, evolving.

1:41:08Piers Morgan:Just seemed to be very static and going nowhere. And the infrastructure seemed light years behind where some of the other top clubs were. And I think that's what he believes is one of the fundamental problems. He also gave a clue there that, you know, the ownership, he's not convinced that they've been probably playing a direct enough role, I think, in the way that United's evolution should be going. Yeah, and I think, look, we're in a position at the moment. And just for clarity, I predicted Arsenal would win the league before the start of the season, before it was fashionable. So, you know, I'd rather you won it than Liverpool and Man City, which I'm sure Cristiano Ronaldo would as well.

1:41:43But no, I think the timing of the interview is fantastic, I think, because I think you can be too positive when results are going well and you can be too negative when they're not. And for many Manchester United fans, the Glazers still are the issue at that football club. And whilst they are there, I and many United fans do not believe that we can compete with the Arsenal's and Liverpool's. I think we need to get back into the top five. But I think that probably is the ceiling of what Ruben Amrim can do. So when Cristiano Ronaldo says he can't work miracles, I think that's what he means. He's not saying that Manchester United can't get back into the Champions League, but can they be the club that he knew that we remember, you know, back in the 90s and the noughties?

1:42:23Not with this ownership. I mean, they're going to struggle to build a stadium and they're going to spend a lot of money on that. And you know how that impacts a club like Arsenal did for many years. So I think Cristiano Ronaldo, I think it lands at the right point that, yes, United are improving on the pitch, but there is a barrier to getting Manchester United back to where they should be, which is competing at the very top of European football in the Premier League. And I think with this ownership, there's very many Man United fans that would agree with Cristiano. And I also think it shows his love for the club and how it does still live in the heart.

1:42:54Because if he didn't care, why pass a comment on it? He doesn't need to. He's left Manchester United. He's a massively fantastic footballer. He's one of the greatest ever. He doesn't need to say something that will be deemed negative at Manchester United without meaning it.

1:43:08Piers Morgan:Yeah, no, I agree. You've been very measured and calm, Mark, in this interview. So it'd be remiss of me not to replay one of your less measured and calm moments. Let's take a look. When Piers Morgan says, you can look at the players he's been unable to handle at United, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, it's always the top players. Oh, my God. This guy is not just a prat. He's not a turbo prat. He's a terminal prat. He's absolutely no hope for this guy. He is so condescendingly arrogant. How can you say he can handle the guys he brings in from Ajax who've never been on the world stage?

1:43:44Oh, would that be Lissandro Martinez, who's played for Argentina? What world stage are you talking about, Piers? You're an absolute prat, Morgan. How can you say nonsense like that?

1:43:56Piers Morgan:Just going to give you one chance here, Mr Goldbridge, to admit that actually, with the benefit of hindsight, I was completely right. well I would have come prepared with some of your tweets about uh Mikel Arteta as well but I I did expect something like this and I have to say this is the beauty of football we all get very very passionate about it look I will always put Manchester United first even ahead of the great Cristiano Ronaldo but in hindsight you look at some of the I mean there was a lad playing for Real Madrid at left back yesterday Carreras um he was at the club Ten Hag let him go the Ronaldo debacle he left and also David De Gea being swapped for an honour so in hindsight I'm on a very very and I know you like your cricket I'm on a very sticky wicket here but I'm you know it's a shame that Ronaldo left and it's but it didn't work out with Ten Hag did it and let's just let's just leave it there well Mark it's great to speak to you I'm a big fan of your work I think it's the future YouTube it's why I do my stuff on YouTube you've done some really interesting things which We'll talk about it another time, like getting the rights to the Bundesliga and putting it on your channel at the weekend and stuff.

1:45:03Piers Morgan:I think this is really smart. I think you're very engaging, very entertaining. Even when you're calling me a monumental prat, I find it quite funny, as do my sons. So more power to your elbow, and let's get you back on again soon. No, pleasure to speak to you, Piers. I know it's the first time, and thanks for having me on. All the best. Thanks. Let's go to Richard Keyes. Richard, Man United, you know, Cristiano, he does care, you know, And he was more measured about what he said this time. But there's a burning, as there is with Roy Keane, with Gary Neville, with Paul Scholes, with all these guys, all the ones from the great Fergie generation, they're all frustrated that ever since 2013, they've not really been competing properly for the big titles.

1:45:47Piers Morgan:And they've had great managers come and go. You know, Mourinho's been up there and Van Gaal and all these guys. Nothing seems to make any difference. What do you think the core problem is at United? Just to answer the question that we left hanging, Piers, for me at Stoke on a Wednesday against the Tony Poulis team, particularly Cristiano, all day long. Yeah, I agree. I agree. Absolutely. As for Manchester United, well, Cristiano going back should not have happened. It was a vanity signing. I'm not saying going back is a bad thing and it can't be done. David Moyes did at West Ham and it turned out very well.

1:46:25He's gone back to Everton. there are other examples of people going to football clubs they've previously represented, and it has worked well. But Christiane went into a... I mean, it was a nightmare for him. The club... You know, if Mark's happy with three wins and a draw, OK, but that's a long way from where Manchester United should be. And I think Christiane perhaps should have looked around a little bit more closely at what had been left post-Fergie and maybe just swerved it. I've said previously, and not many agree with me, but I think that the manner in which it fell apart didn't necessarily disappoint Fergie a great deal.

1:47:14I cannot for a moment think that he would have wanted someone to go in and do better than he had done, which in itself would be a very difficult thing to do. But the team that won it, last for him, his last title-winning team was Bangor. Bangor. Yeah, I agree. You know, a centre-forward and Scolzi coming out of retirement in the January were the two factors that got them over the line. We always say one player can't win a title. Two did. And left to David Moyes, who has made a number of promises by United. and maybe if they'd had the courage to stay with him, it could have worked out better. But he was told when going in, you've got two years and if we don't qualify for the Champions League in either of those two years, that's fine.

1:48:01But build as a team. And then Ed Wood lost his bottle and pulled the plug and they've been chasing their tail ever since. I don't agree that it's the Glazers entirely that you point the finger at now. I think that the Jim Reaper has been there long enough to be the man that has to take responsibility for what's happening. that stadium that he has visions of, unless he funds it, that's not getting built, nor should it. Why should the government help out? We've got one taxpayer stadium in East London at West Ham. We don't want two. United, way off, Piers, never mind the title this year, this year and next year.

1:48:41And just to get on the bandwagon, I was one of very few like Mark that did think you'd win it this year.

1:48:48Piers Morgan:Well, I'm going to come to Henry and Gim about this, because we're actually about to be joined by a pretty special guest, actually, Ramon Calderon, who's the ex-Real Madrid president, who signed Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009 for what was then a world record£80 million. And you've got to say, I mean, Henry, we're just waiting for Ramon to come on. You've got to say it looks pretty cheap now, doesn't it? 80 million for what Ronaldo then did at Real Madrid.

1:49:48Yeah, I mean, you've got an£80 million player sitting on the bench at the moment in the Premier League. I mean, it was one of the great signings. And, I mean, Manchester United, you know, were sorry to see him go. I mean, Michael Carrick talks very sort of respectfully about turning up at training at Carrington to find a young Ronaldo already there with weights around his ankles, weaving in and out of cones, building up that strength. And also then that gave him that sort of lightness almost psychologically on match days when the weights came off and he could go and terrorise another full-back.

1:50:20So, I mean, his performances there were sensational.

1:50:24Piers Morgan:Yeah. I'm going to be joined. Just wait for me, panel, to respond to this. Ramon Kordoran is joining me now. Ramon Kordoran, great to have you on Oncensor. Thank you very much. My pleasure. My pleasure to be in that programme. How significant was it, do you think, in the history of this great club, Real Madrid, to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009 for what looks now to have been the bargain of the century, £80 million. For us, it was something very, very important, very relevant, one of the best pledges we've had. It's true that at the time, it seemed a high amount of money, it was 94 million euros, but it's true what you've said.

1:51:08Nowadays, it's very cheap. what he did nine years here, Champions League, Ballon d 'Or. He helped to increase our history. So for us, very important. And his legacy, in my opinion, has been not only the joy and the happiness to our fans and the fans where he's been, but to show to the young football players and young people in general that to have talent and skill is not enough. You need to add what he did. It's discipline, perseverance, determination, sacrifice, everything he's been doing all his life and he did here to know that he did the best he can. And for us, it was something very important and the fans loved him.

1:52:05Piers Morgan:Ramon, you've previously said you would have loved to have signed Lionel Messi. We've been having a debate before you came on the show about the Messi v Ronaldo debate. So let me ask you the question I asked the other panel members. If you had to choose one of them to score a goal to save your life, which one would it be? It's not easy. Both are among the best players of the football history with different features. I think if you see, you think about Messi, you think about creativity, you think about inspiration, naturalness, improvisation. And if you talk about Ronaldo, his speed, pace, ability to score goals with both legs, good header, helping the team in defense.

1:52:57So, different players. And I would like to have both if I would be able to.

1:53:05Piers Morgan:But you're dodging my question, Ramon. If you had to choose one to save your life by scoring a goal, who would you trust your life with more? I have to say Cristiano. I have to say Cristiano. It's not only because it was part of our history and I was able to sign him. I'm very proud of that. I didn't do anything special. I'm not the one to be credited for that. I was the president of Real Madrid at that moment. He wanted to change. And it's true. He told me in 2008 when he was going to come that he was very grateful to Man United, to Ferguson, to the fans, to the club directors. They managed to give him all he had at that moment.

1:53:56But he wanted to change. and it's true that coming to Real Madrid for them was a different experience. He had the opportunity to increase his image, his reputation, to get personal and collective awards. So I think Cristiano, for me now, is the best. But I wouldn't say that Messi is not as well one of the best players of history.

1:54:21Piers Morgan:But for you, Cristiano is number one. well I'd say it is it's difficult to say who is number one I think one they made better each other it was lucky for fans and for them to be playing in the same league in rival teams that was perfect for both of them and they made each other better and as I said we were lucky to have them at the same time. Yeah, I think, you know, Cristiano said that to me, actually, a few times, that he felt the competition between them brought out the best in both of them and raised them to higher levels. And I think that is indisputable. I think there's a great respect between the two of them, actually.

1:55:10Piers Morgan:But I'm with you, Ramon. I think if it was a wet Wednesday on a cold winter's night and I had to pick one of them to score a goal to save my life, I'm going Cristiano. Thank you very much indeed for joining me. I appreciate it. No, bless you. Bye-bye. Thank you very much. It's good to Guillaume. It's a great debate, Guillaume. We're never going to get, obviously, a definitive answer. But very interesting, I think, to see the importance that he attached to that signing and also how Ronaldo, I think it's another thing about him, and I think Messi has it too, but the constant desire to improve themselves and evolve as players.

1:55:46Piers Morgan:One thing I wanted to ask you before we got, we've been joined by Emily Austin, who I'll come to in a moment, but just Guillaume, Another thing that Ronaldo said was about the calibre of the Saudi league. When he first went there, a lot of criticism, mockery, it's not a real league, it's a farmer's league, and so on and so on. Obviously, it's more and more top players have gone over there, and some quite younger, very good players have gone over there now as well. Clearly, the standard's improving. Let's see what he said about it and then get your response. Year by year, year by year, I scored more.

1:56:17Even in a bad year, I scored 25 goals. If I play in Premier League now, in a top team, I will score the same. The last season you played, the last full season. Easy. If you have a good team with 14 years old, I will score the same. I don't need to speak because they can say whatever they want, but the numbers they don't like. They can say Saudi League. They've never been here. They've never played here. They don't know what to run with 40 degrees. They don't know. and they should count even, they should count like the goals to be the top scorer, the golden ball. Why they don't count Saudi league?

1:56:56Why? Listen, I play everywhere. Everywhere. For me, it's more easy to score in Spain than score in Saudi.

1:57:05Piers Morgan:So, Guillaume, you're the perfect person to answer. He thinks the Saudi league is now better than the Spanish league. Well, if he thinks he's the number one in the world ever and he plays in that league, obviously that is something that goes for that league. I'm not sure it's easier to score in Spain than it is to score in Saudi. There is obviously the fact that there is a lot of talented players heading that way, and he makes a very, very good point. I hadn't even thought of it. Why don't some of those players are considered for the Ballon d 'Or? We're too Eurocentric in the way we look at that trophy.

1:57:39But in any case, still long distance between the Saudi league. I would even say that the French League, which he considers inferior, and he's putting it close to the Spanish League because it's not just what you see, it's what's behind the scenes. And you're absolutely right. There is a lot of improvement being done, a lot of investment on directors of football. Some of the best people in offices around the world are in Saudi. And of course, you know, coaches, players, the infrastructure has to improve. The competitiveness has to improve. The spectacle has to improve as well. More fans, more commercial deals being done through it.

1:58:21There's a lot of room for improvement. But the job they made in the last five years is absolutely incredible. But we're not, I don't think, at the level that Christiane is saying.

1:58:31Piers Morgan:Well, OK, let's go to Emily. Emily, welcome back to Uncensored. An unusual topic for you and I to be discussing here. But it concerns the aesthetic qualities of Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham, arguably the two most famous football players in the history of the game, because they live, of course, in the internet era, the social media era, which gives them an advantage over perhaps people from the past. But this is what Ronaldo said about their respective aesthetic qualities. Do you think you're better looking than David Beckham? Depends. Are you more handsome? Thank you. Depends. Depends. Because for me the looking is not only the face.

1:59:15The looking is all packaged. Like this. If you put me, not anymore, but imagine Cristiano. Not Cristiano. A normal guy. With the speedos, red speedos. In a Copacabana. To drink coconut water. Do you think I'm not going to have a chance with nobody?

1:59:38Piers Morgan:Come on, you and Beckham, you're walking across the Copacabana for, say, ten minutes. Who gets the most attention? Not famous? Not famous, just your body. Me. 100%. I knew it! I knew you! Come on, Piers! I agree with you! So, Emily, imagine you're on the Copacabana beach in Brazil. You've got Ronaldo and Beckham walking along in their tight speedos, as he put it. Which one are you giving more attention to?

2:00:06Before I answer this question, I want to just preface by saying that Ronaldo is so right. If a man is physically a 10, but his attitude or his aura is not, immediately, I promise you, our eyeballs will deceive us and he will go down in the ranks. With that being said, everyone's going to hate on me for this. David Beckham is hotter than Ronaldo. Like, physically, if I were to just judge on looks and not personality, David Beckham just gives me more of a mature look, which to me I find more attractive. But David Beckham also gives me very arrogant vibes. And, like, Ronaldo knows he's hot, but he's still kind of humble.

2:00:48Beckham is like, I know I'm hot, and I think I'm hot. So with that being said, I'll give Ronaldo overall, like he said, the whole package. He's more of a 10 with his aura and his physicality. I mean, his abs look like a washing board. That's not normal. I've never seen anyone more fit than Ronaldo, but in the face, I'm going with Beckham.

2:01:08Piers Morgan:And by the way, you need to describe him as Sir David now, following his knighthood yesterday. Whatever. I'm an American. I don't have to. Richard Keyes, you're obviously a fine-looking specimen of a man. Do you agree with Ronaldo? Is he basically, in terms of full package, the hottest footballer that's ever walked the earth? I... My judgment is probably based on... David's such a charming individual. I mean, he's a lovely, lovely guy. Cristiano, I think it's come across during the period of time we've all been together. I'm an enormous fan. I would have to go... I think he's right, Cristiano.

2:01:57I mean, I look at the other guys on here. I mean, Henry Winter. Henry, Cristiano, David Beckham. Tight. Guillaume Balaguet. I think we're all of the same opinion.

2:02:14Piers Morgan:You know, Henry's got... Well, of course, I actually have a pinned tweet on my now ex-account, which is from the first interview we did. where Cristiano talks about me having good abdominals. And it's only a 10-second clip. It's had nearly 200 million views, which means there are 200 million people out there who genuinely think that Ronaldo, who has, without any doubt, the best set of abs probably in the history of the planet, actually, they genuinely think he was admiring my abdominals. Henry, you've got a face of a man that thinks, I never thought I'd ever be on a football panel talking about male aesthetics or abdominals.

2:02:55Piers Morgan:But do you have a view about Beckham v Ronaldo on Copacabana Beach? Only they've got a ball at their feet and they are juggling it. And I've seen Beckham on Copacabana Beach. Actually, it was Ipanema Beach to get technical and he was juggling the ball and it was magnificent. But I have to say, and it puts English football into perspective, there were 10 Brazilian kids around him who were doing even more extraordinary things with the football. So, yeah, if you want to leave me out of a hello style beauty parade between the two of them, I mean, I just admire them as footballers. Guilherme, do you have a view?

2:03:31Piers Morgan:Are you with Team Beckham on the aesthetics or Team Ronaldo? For me, Cristiano has got the beauty of a statue, a little bit cold, and David Beckham is a layered portrait of Francis Bacon. There's beauty around him, there's aura. there's something special about David Beckham when he enters the room he just attracts the attention of everyone Cristiano stamps the flow when he walks in so you know he's coming there's a difference you know Guillaume I should have known that the poet of football like you would have come up with such a brilliant description of their two aesthetic qualities so congratulations on bringing Francis Bacon into the debate I wasn't expecting that little sidewinder talking of beautiful people beautiful men Emily, let's turn to Donald Trump because Cristiano talks about Donald Trump in a pretty positive way actually, he sent him a shirt saying he wants to play for peace he wants to go see him at the White House, he wants me to help engineer that debate let's take a look at the clip of what he said about Trump one of the guys that I want to sit to have a nice talk, it was one of the guys Donald Trump here, US whatever he wants I know he was here in Saudi with our boss MBS I wish one day to meet him to sit with him because he's really got is a one of the person that I really like him because I think it can make things happen and I like people like that I think he'd love to meet you perfect you're the two most famous people on the planet right you're the most followed person on Instagram he is the most famous popular human being?

2:05:14We'll do it in a debate for the world. Who is the most famous, me or... Or Donald Trump. ...President Donald Trump. What do you think?

2:05:20Piers Morgan:In the world. What do you think? Me. Really? Mm.

2:05:26Piers Morgan:You know, that is a really interesting... We'll come to it about the Trump meeting, but it's actually a really interesting question because I've always said the most famous person in history has to be from the last 25 years because it has to be somebody from the Internet generation because that's how people have become genuinely globally famous. You know, there were very famous people a thousand years ago that most of the planet didn't know anything about. They've become famous through history and so on. On that point, Emily, it's actually quite interesting when you think about it. Who is more famous, do you think?

2:05:57Piers Morgan:Cristiano Ronaldo. He has by far the most followers on Instagram in the world, even more than the Kardashians, way more than Messi. I think he's like 20 % ahead of anybody else on Instagram. That's a pretty good indicator of fame. He's got 650-odd million followers. Does that make him the most famous person on the planet, or do you think Trump edges it? Well, first and foremost, I need to clarify what I said five minutes ago. After hearing Ronaldo talk about Trump, he's officially the hottest guy in the world. Okay, moving on from that. The fact is Ronaldo has more social clout. Now, I'm not denying he's famous on the streets.

2:06:39This man can never live a normal life, ever. He is that famous. However, I don't know if there is anyone on this earth that has access to basic media whatsoever that does not know who Donald Trump is. So I would say that Trump has more street clout. Everyone's always talking about this man. Arguably, if you don't care about soccer, excuse me, football, right? If you don't care for it so much, I'm sure you still know who Ronaldo is, but let's say you don't follow sports at all, I wouldn't be surprised if someone doesn't know who he is. But someone who doesn't care about politics, you will still know who Donald Trump is.

2:07:15So I would say Trump is probably more famous in the general picture. But when it comes to social media, how many people keep up with Ronaldo on like a day to day basis, especially now with his YouTube channel, I'd say he's more socially famous, especially amongst Gen Z. Like he's always going to be the legendary Ronaldo, but Trump is different. Like, Trump is the human being. I would say he comes once in a lifetime, but I think he comes once in eternity. There is nobody like Donald Trump on this planet. And even Ronaldo recognizes that.

2:07:48Piers Morgan:My daughter, who's 13, summed him up best. She said, Daddy, I keep hearing you talk about Donald Trump as being a unique character. She said, do you think there's such a thing as being too unique? Richard Keyes, you've maintained a stony face. Yeah, well, Richard, you've maintained a stony face since the Trump word was mentioned. You're not a massive fan of the President of the United States. So what did you make of what Cristiano said about him? I agree with Cristiano. I think Trump is more infamous. He will be forgotten far more quickly. I think we will be talking about Cristiano as football people and sports fans for a long, long time to come yet.

2:08:27Just one thing on the interview, Piers, I did want to mention. and by the way terrific to be serious it really was it was if we had firesides in this part of the world it's the sort of thing i'd expect to see two guys just sat in front of a fire relaxed in each other's company clearly enjoying each other's company um it's a really really good watch but there was just a moment and i think the most illuminating part of it for me was when he said you know i don't want to be famous and i get that i really do understand that because there's an enormous price to pay. He talks about his cars, 41 cars, 42 cars.

2:09:04He never drives his cars. He can't drive his cars. He can't get bread. And it reminds me of a way in what happened to Diana, who used the pressure there. You understood it to elevate herself into a position of influence. And then when she got there, really didn't want the attention anymore well it doesn't work like that and i fear for cristiano that at 40 the rest of it it could be an enormous void what what do you do i know he talks about real estate and ceo and and you know gaming and all these things but real life is very very different i think david david's found a space for himself i think he enjoys being in the cotswolds and farming and And, you know, he's got Miami as well.

2:09:51For Cristiano, that's my fear. It's great now. But I, and of course he needed the platform from which he's operated on to become the most famous man in the world. But there's an enormous pressure comes with that. And I do have some fears about the last two minutes of that interview when he talks about, I don't want to be famous, but it's too late. You can't go back now. Can't go back. Yeah. Pierce, can I push back on that? Because I don't agree. Yes, Emily, yes. Yeah. I feel like it's very easy to go off the grid. And yes, I'm including Ronaldo in that discussion. Hypothetically speaking, if he deletes his social media, if he deletes his YouTube, if he rejects interviews with Pierce, which he'll never do, Pierce, don't worry.

2:10:39But if he really wanted to go off the grid, honestly, there's no better place to do that than Saudi Arabia. Like, Pierce knows right at all. I'm in Saudi all the time. And it's a very relaxed, law-respecting, privacy-abiding place. If he really did get overwhelmed, I don't think he'd be in a Diana-type situation. I feel like he could disappear. And how many celebrities do we know that we just haven't heard of them? Because with the rise of social media, these celebrities that used to be predominantly TV and tabloids just haven't kept up. They're gone.

2:11:09Piers Morgan:Yeah, you know, Emily, it was interesting. I actually had lunch with Princess Diana once at the palace, Kensington Palace, with Prince William. He was about 13. It was a fascinating couple of hours, as you can imagine. It was just the three of us. But she said, you know, we're talking about her incredible fame at the time. And she was just in her 30s. And she said, you know, there is literally nowhere I can go in the world where people don't know who I am. She said, I could even go to an igloo in Iceland and there'd be an Eskimo who would say Princess Diana. And she didn't say it with any sense of boasting.

2:11:41Piers Morgan:She said it with a sense of real slight fear that this was going to be the rest of her life where there would be no escape from being Princess Diana. And in the end, she died in tragic circumstances, obviously, which kind of doubled down, I guess, on those fears. But I think even if she was still alive now, there'd be nowhere she could go. People like her, Michael Jackson, Donald Trump, Cristiano Ronaldo, there's a kind of rarefied number of people in my lifetime who are just so famous, there is literally nowhere they could go. I've got to wrap up with the panel. Very quickly to Henry and Guillaume, when you looked at the interview in totality, I got a feeling of Cristiano still has his burning desire to score goals, to break records, but he's also aware now of the ticking clock to retirement.

2:12:27Piers Morgan:What do you think post-football looks like for Ronaldo? Henry, let me start with you. Oh, yeah. Ambassadorial role with the Portuguese FA. I thought it was very poignant, his comment to you about he finds it really difficult to watch television. And his humanity came out and he kept on using the word peace. I mean, we've associated him with set piece, but I think this is maybe is the next stage. And he actually becomes and just uses his huge global reach, as everyone's been saying, to go into the White House, to talk to Donald Trump, to use his sort of platforms to, you know, without getting too Woodstock-y about it, to actually spread the word.

2:13:09And people will listen to him. And the next generation will say, actually, yes, let's try and get on with our neighbours, different communities, different faiths, which he's reflecting in his lifestyle at the moment, geographically. So, yeah, that gave me more hope for his future. He's not going to be a coach. I mean, they can appoint him manager of the Portuguese FA and put a good coach under him, but we're not going to see him at St. George's Park or Largs doing his coaching badges. But I just think he is above that, like Beckham. And one of the reasons why Beckham got knighted, services to football, but also services to community and charity as well.

2:13:45And I hope we will see Cristiano go down that road as well.

2:13:49Piers Morgan:Yeah, I think we will. Guilherme, what do you think? I think he's going to crush. some of the words that he was saying to you in the interview about he's not going to find anything like football again suggest that even though he says the words and he's been saying it for the last five or six years I'm going to retire soon, it's going to happen soon I think, I'm not sure he's ready he's been in a running machine since he was 12 he was actually having to run to get the money so his family survived and then it was about being the best and after that it was about winning with the national side there's always targets now in a way being a billionaire was a target as well as we heard in the interview too but i'm not sure he's prepared to actually stop a day where he doesn't go to training a day where there is no no game at the weekend i don't think he's prepared and he will need help because he's now that you've seen it i've seen that world as well he's the leader of that world everybody works for him his family they'll have businesses related to him.

2:14:54If he stops, who's going to be talking to him? Or who would he have the faith and the belief of talking to to actually say, I'm not well, this is not, I'm not happy? We'll see. I think he'll crash.

2:15:10Piers Morgan:Yeah, I think he's going to find it very hard. He said he would cry a lot when the moment comes, and I think he's going to find it very emotional, probably very difficult. I totally agree. It's been his entire world since he was a young kid. But what a career he's had. And whatever he says, I think if he could win the World Cup, that would be the absolute icing on the cake. Guys, thank you. What a brilliant panel. Thank you all very much. I really enjoyed your contributions. Thank you all very much. I just want to end. I want to bring in the self-appointed HMRC of football, Carell Prince, who's been going viral for forensically fact-checking anecdotes shared by former professional footballers.

2:15:46Piers Morgan:Now he's got the receipts for Cristiano, or says he does. All right, Carell, welcome to Uncensored. Why is Ronaldo on your HRMC tax list? Well, thanks for having me on for starters. But the reason he's on the list is based on something he said in the second part of your interview, which was that winning the World Cup is not a dream. Now, it appears, as you will, you've had conversations with him over the years. I've loved the interviews, by the way. They've been great. But even the last time he had a big sit-down around the World Cup time, around his exit of Manchester United, you asked him directly, would that be the pinnacle of your career?

2:16:25Would it be a dream? And he confirmed it. And I found multiple other instances where he has also stated that. So that's why he's on the list. As much as I didn't think I'd ever have him on the list,

2:16:36Piers Morgan:that's what got him on there. Well, we have got that clip you're talking about. Let's take a look. I'm looking forward that we're going to do an amazing World Cup. Would that be for you the pinnacle of your career, to win a World Cup with Portugal? Piers, I don't... I never... Well, I dreamed one time about that. Holding the World Cup? Yes. So, Carel, that was the clip. And you're right. I mean, his tone about winning the World Cup has changed. Maybe it's because he realises this may be probably his last ever World Cup. and he doesn't want people as they did after Portugal were knocked out in the Qatar World Cup.

2:17:15Piers Morgan:I don't think he wants people to judge his entire legacy on whether he wins the World Cup or not. But I feel like that's two different conversations to be had, whether you dream of winning a certain trophy or how that trophy defines your legacy. I think prior to 2022, you could argue that that could have been his trump card. If he wins 2022, Messi doesn't have one. He's undisputed number one. But of course, Messi went and won in 2022. So then now it's looking like a legacy-defining thing. But I don't think it is. I said it in my video later on that regardless of what happens next year, the career that he's had, what he's done for his nation, people forget that all the trophies that Portugal have won, both Nations Leagues and Euros, their only honours have come while he's in the national team.

2:18:00So he doesn't need to worry about that. I just don't like the fact that he said it's not a dream because I know him as one of the most relentless, ambitious, determined footballers of all time. So to turn around and sound like you're giving up and then kind of devaluing the World Cup by saying, well, it's only six, seven games. He's played at enough tournaments. No, it means much more than that. And I feel it is still his dream.

2:18:22Piers Morgan:I think he'd love to win the World Cup, but I think he's trying to temper expectations in case people say, well, he never won the World Cup, therefore Messi must be the greatest. Because actually, I do believe Messi's not even the greatest Argentinian. I think Maradona was, who also won the World Cup. Finally, Carell, of all the footballers you've held to account with your HMRC receipts, who's the biggest porcupine teller of a lot of them?

2:18:50I would say that it's potentially... No, it's got to be, I think, Carlton Palmer, to be honest. I'm not sure with the global audience that you have. They might not know who he is, but once you see that video, I feel like there was just too many instances in one sitting and I could have made multiple parts about the lies that he's told. But I do have a question for you before I go. Of course. You're one of the most hard-hitting questions type of person. And I know in your interviews with Ronaldo, his two friends sat by the fire, like the panel said before. But when he did say that, how come you didn't push back on it?

2:19:28Piers Morgan:Well, I think I did, actually. No, no, if you watch it back, you'll see I did. I'll say, come on, Cristiano, you'd love to win the World Cup. But I found his explanation quite interesting. You know, I was surprised. I do think he wants to win the World Cup. But then I realised what he was really doing. What he was really doing was setting down a marker that if they don't win the World Cup, A, it shouldn't be that surprising because Portugal is a relatively small country and has never won it before, whereas Argentina has won it multiple times. But also he doesn't want people to say, well, Cristiano Ronaldo's career, yeah, he was great, but he never won the World Cup.

2:20:02Piers Morgan:Therefore, he can't be considered the greatest. Because to me, and I agree with him, I think he has done enough to justify being called the GOAT of football. And I think the fact he's done it in so many countries, won so many titles in multiple leagues, I think that's what gives him the edge. I don't think it's about what you win with your country that defines you as an individual footballer when it comes to the GOAT category. But as for others to debate, it's been great to have you on Uncensored. Thank you very much. And the debate will rage on. Keep up your good work, by the way. It's most entertaining.

2:20:36Piers Morgan:Thank you for having me, Piers.

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