Moments after Real Madrid Football Club won their 10th UEFA Champions League trophy in 2014, the global audience and thousands of football fans at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon were taken by surprise when Cristiano Ronaldo abandoned the team’s celebration and ran to a section of the stand to pull out a man from the crowd and hug him affectionately.
The action was a public confession by Ronaldo to honour his childhood clubmate who ‘sacrificed himself’ and allowed the Portuguese star to become a global icon today.
Ronaldo said in an interview he granted some years ago that he and his friend were vying for a spot in an academy of Andorinha in Funchal, Madeira.
“I have to thank my old friend Albert Fantrau for my success. We played together for the same team in the U-18 championship. When a scout came to see us he said that “Whoever scores more goals will come into our academy.”
“We won that match 3-0. I scored the first goal then Albert scored the second with a great header. But the third goal was impressive for all of us.
Albert was one-on-one against the goalkeeper, he rounded the goalkeeper and I was running in front of him.
“All he had to do was to score that goal but he passed it to me and I scored the third goal, so I got that spot and went to the academy.
“After the match I went to him and asked him why? Albert said that “Because you (Ronaldo) are better than me.”
Journalists then went to Albert’s house and asked him if it was a true story. He said yes.
He also said that his career as a player after the match ended and now is unemployed.
“But how did you build this house so great, you have a car? You seem like a rich man. You also able keep your family. From where did this come from? ‘
Albert more proudly replied: “It is from Ronaldo!”
This explains why Ronaldo had to single him out of the crowd to share in his celebration.
Never forget the person who believed in you and gave you a helping hand in life.
