Cristiano Ronaldo: "I speak when I want, I'm bulletproof"

BERLIN (GERMANY), 21 Nov. (STATS Perform/dpa/EP) -

The Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo assured this Monday that his motivation remains intact because "millions of people" continue to like him, at the same time that he rejected the criticism of his interview and his harsh statements against Manchester United, insisting that he speaks when he wants, since that it is "bulletproof".

"I don't have to worry about what other people think. I speak when I want. The staff, the players, they all know me, they know what I think, they've known me since I was 11 years old, they won't be influenced by what (the critics) they say", affirmed the crack Portuguese in a press conference from the base of the Portuguese selection in Qatar.

The TalkTV interview, broadcast in its entirety last week, went around the world, with Cristiano Ronaldo harshly criticizing United and its structure and the coach, Erik ten Hag, also thinking about a possible exit in winter. Among all the issues discussed, Ronaldo assured that he felt "betrayed" by the club and that he does not respect the Dutch coach.

In a press appearance this Monday, the striker, who will play his fifth World Cup in Qatar, said that "there are millions of people" who like it. "That is what motivates me. There is no money to pay for that," he said, before criticizing the media for asking his teammates about his situation at United.

"Please, don't ask the players about me. Ask about the World Cup, I'm bulletproof, I have an armored mind," he asserted emphatically. "I have no doubt that this recent episode, that interview and other episodes with other players that happen sometimes, can sometimes shake the player, but not the team," he added.

Finally, Ronaldo explained his 'cold' greeting with his English club mate Bruno Fernandes at the start of the Portuguese concentration, arguing that they were "joking". "I made a joke with Bruno, with whom I have an excellent relationship. His flight was delayed and I asked him if he had come by boat. It was a joke, as it was with Joao Cancelo," he settled.