Cristiano Ronaldo says he believes he is the most famous person in the world – even more than U.S. President Donald Trump.
The 40-year-old Portuguese star made the claim during a two-part interview with Piers Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored, filmed in Riyadh and released on YouTube this month.
The Al Nassr forward, still captaining Portugal and showing no signs of slowing down, spoke about fame, football, and personal loss in what he described as his “most personal interview ever.”
“I think in the world, nobody is more famous than me,” Ronaldo said confidently. Then, with a grin, he added: “Let’s debate it – who’s more famous, me or Donald Trump?”
The interview, which has already drawn millions of views, offered a rare, vulnerable look at the football icon beyond his record-breaking statistics.
Ronaldo admitted that fame, while flattering, has also become a burden. “I wish to not be so famous. It’s boring, trust me,” he said. “I wanted to be successful, but to be so famous? I never wanted that.”
Despite his weariness, Ronaldo’s global influence is undeniable.
With more than 650 million Instagram followers – more than any other individual – and annual earnings of around $260 million, he remains one of the world’s most marketable athletes.
Forbes named him the highest-paid athlete in both 2023 and 2024, thanks to lucrative partnerships with Nike and Clear Shampoo among others.
Ronaldo even expressed curiosity about meeting Trump, who returned to the White House earlier this year after a narrow election win. “I’d like to meet him,” he said. “He can make things happen.”
The conversation also revisited one of the defining controversies of Ronaldo’s career: his 2022 fallout with Manchester United.
His earlier interview with Morgan that year, in which he openly criticized the club’s management and facilities, ultimately led to his contract being terminated.
“That interview changed everything,” Ronaldo said. “But I said what I felt. Change was needed at United.”
Now thriving at Al Nassr, Ronaldo has silenced critics who doubted his move to Saudi Arabia. Since joining in late 2022, he has scored 109 goals in 122 games, including nine in his first eight this season.
“It’s easier to score in Spain than in Saudi,” he insisted. “The Saudi league is much better than the Portuguese league. The French league is only PSG.”
One of the most emotional parts of the interview came when he addressed the July death of his Portugal teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash.
Ronaldo chose not to attend the funeral to avoid shifting attention away from the family. “Wherever I go is a circus,” he said. “I wanted the focus to be on Diogo, not me.”
“Fame is a curse sometimes,” he added. “But it’s part of who I am.”
At 40, chasing his 1,000th career goal and still commanding global attention, Ronaldo stands as both football’s brightest star and one of fame’s most reluctant captives.
