Cristiano Ronaldo’s interview with Piers Morgan: Ferguson, tragic loss of son, Solskjaer, criticism...

In Cristiano Ronaldo’s explosive interview with Piers Morgan, he discusses his issues with Manchester United, the criticism he receives, and dealing with tragedy in his personal life.

Speaking to Sir Alex Ferguson before returning to Man United

“Yes, I did. I spoke with him… He said to me, ‘It’s impossible for you to come to Manchester City’. And I say, ‘OK, Boss’. So I took the decisions and I repeat, I was with conscious that it was a good decision,” Ronaldo said in the first part of his interview with Morgan.

On Ralf Rangnick

“I respect any coach, every different approach, different opinions, different mentality, but kind of some points that you’re, you do not agree. So I’m always like that in my life. I’ve always been, besides the best coaches in the world: Zidane and Ancelotti, Mourinho, Fernando Santos, Allegri… So I have kind of, some experience because I learn from them.

“And when you see some coaches that are coming, that they want the revolution (in) the football, I don’t agree, I have my opinion. They agree or they don’t, they disagree, but it’s part of the business because at the end of the day, I’m in a club to win, and with my experience, I want to help. Like always, and some coaches that don’t accept and, you know, it’s part of the job.”

On whether Rangnick knew what he was doing

“No, they don’t. They knew with the club, very well. But they don’t know the main dimension of the club inside, the history of the club. Which is, for me, surprised me even more. Which is when you sack Ole Solskjaer, you should bring a top manager, not a Sports Director.”

On former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

“I love Solskjaer. I think he was a top person, because what I keep inside my heart, it’s the heart of the person. And Ole for me, is a top person… It’s hard. It’s hard to assume (the role) after Sir Alex Ferguson, but I think he did a good job for sure.

“You need more time. But I never doubt that you’re going to be a good coach in the future. But it was a good experience. I was, I was so pleased to work with him even for a short period.”

Criticism at Manchester United

“I’m used to living like that because, you know, I was 37, I know and I learned many things. When you are at the down of the wave, when you are at the top of the wave, you don’t realise and you don’t see things that you don’t see before… Which is, I appreciate to have bad moments, to see which people are on your side, who will criticise you more. Because they’re looking for that. They don’t like to see successful people.”

On the tragic loss of his son

“Probably the worst moment in my life since my father died...We don’t understand why it happened to us. It was very difficult. In the beginning, Gio (his partner) are arriving home and the kids start to say where’s the other baby? Where’s the other baby?

“Of course Cristiano (his eldest son), I had a conversation with him in the day, because he’s 12 years old, he knows, understands everything, and I had a nice conversation with him. We cried together in his bedroom and explained and it’s kind of - he doesn’t understand, he does understand, but in same way he was a little bit confused.

“The other ones in the beginning, on the table, the kids start to say “Mom where is the other baby - and Gio in the beginning they start to say because, you know, she had a little bit of a belly because they had two, it’s a hard process. And after one week I say, ‘Let’s be up front and let’s be honest with the kids, let’s say that, Ángel, which is the name, they go to Heaven’.

“It’s better to say in that way and we start to use that in that way. And the kids always understand, when we had shouts in at the table and they say ‘daddy I did this for Ángel’ and they point out for the, for the sky… I like it the most because, you know it’s part of their lives and I am not gonna lie to my kids to say the true, which is it was a difficult process but in the same way, I become more father, more friendly with them; they become more close to their Daddy especially me with Georgina as well.”

Returning to action after death of his son

“Very difficult to play after that. But as I always have good support from my family. And Georgina told me ‘Go, go to play, go enjoy to do what you’d like to do.’ It’s going to help for you to forget a little bit, the situation. It was difficult, but at the same point that thing helps you to, you know, to not think too much about that even though training was good. But as you know, the football is going so fast and you know training, games, even the national team, the things going so fast you don’t even have time to settle and say what’s going on, you know, because the things are going so fast. But it was good help, Georgina helped me a lot to give me that stability.

“We help each other. But she struggled when she was young, which is, she now, she’ll look at life with different eyes, even though she’s young, but she’s suffered. She was born in Argentina, she has issues with her family as well, she lived alone. She has an interesting life and history as well... And she helped me a lot. She’s very mature for her age, we help each other sometimes when I’m a little bit down she pushes me up and I do it the other side. So we are a nice couple and we help each other so I’m really pleased that she’s on my side.”

How to watch Ronaldo’s interview on TV and online

Cristiano Ronaldo’s interview with Piers Morgan will be shown on television in the UK on Talk TV in two parts, split across Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 November. It will air at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT in the US (that’s 8 p.m. local time). You can stream the interview online.

While VPN options may be available to some, in the US ‘90 minutes with Ronaldo’ will be shown on Fox Nation available on DirecTV channel 1960. You can also stream the interview via the Fox Nation app.