Cristiano on Punto Pelota [2010-05-11]

This is what happens when you’re jet-lagged, you watch a 45-minute long Cristiano interview (from yesterday’s Punto Pelota) and transcribe the best parts.  I’m working on doing the same for Sergio’s appearance on the same program, so stay tuned!

Cristiano was rocking the pants, sneakers and no socks look made famous by Julio Iglesias on the program.  They talked a lot about football, but the best parts came when they had Madrid’s players send messages to Cristiano.  This is what they had to say:

– Arbeloa: I hope you’ll continue working hard and return stronger next year; if not, I’m going to continue to beat you in the gym.

– Dudek: how much time does Cristiano spend in the gym each day?  (Reporter: is he there for a long time?)  40 minutes.

(Cristiano has a good laugh, explains his routine, saying that rest is also very important, and adds that Arbeloa and Dudek are in the gym a lot too).

– Pepe: the gel that you use in your hair must be very good, which is why people are always talking about your hairstyles.  I think he uses a special gel, because I tried to buy it here in Madrid, but couldn’t find it, and Cristiano always has an extra bottle to give to me.  (The reporter then asks Pepe is she can touch his hair, and he says yes, and says the gel in his hair is the same as the one Cristiano uses).

– Sergio: I just wanted to say hi, and that I hope you have done your hair well, using a lot of gel (he mimes doing that, and winks), and that 2,000 sit-ups aren’t a lot.

(Cristiano says his hair is really strong, and without gel, it’s an embarassment for him.  And that doing that many sit-ups a day would hurt his back).

– Albiol: I told the interviewer to make sure you had a couple of mirrors and a couple of weights during the interview.  (The reporter asks if Cristiano likes looking at himself).  Albiol says that’s normal, with a body like that, and that if he had a body like that, he would also enjoy looking at himself too.  He then says “venga Cris” and gives a thumbs-up.

(Cristiano says he knew what Albiol was going to say before they played the clip of Albiol, but then after says he was wrong.  He thought Albiol was going to say something he had said many times before, that the Armani campaign was photoshopped, because he’s seen Cristiano a lot of times in the locker room and he never saw anything like what appeared in the ads.  Apparently Albiol had said this before in an interview, and the next day Cris went up to him, but only to joke around).

– Guti: I have to congratulate him for the year he had, he’s a great person, and a reference for us all, and I wish him all the success in the world.

(Cris says he’s proud of the season he’s had, on a personal level, and that he’s very happy with the team).

Then comes a word association part, where Cris has to say the first thing that comes to mind upon hearing these names:

– Higuaín: I like playing with him a lot, partnering with him, a great player.

– Benzema: a phenomenal guy, a great player, his adaptation wasn’t as easy as mine was, but I’m sure that he’s going to be worth waiting for.

– Kaká:  the platonic love of my life. A great guy, a friend, a great person and professional.  He wants more than anyone else to demonstrate that he’s a great player.  I’m 100% convinced that he will do well at this club.

Other newsworthy soundbites:

– “Madrid is my face” – he identifies with the club, and the club with him, especially the winning mentality and history.

– he likes being the most expensive player in history.

– the 1,2,3 Hala Madrid – it was spontaneous.  He had a crib sheet with what he wanted to say, but as he was walking up the stairs into the stadium, he heard the crowd, and thought to himself, this isn’t going to be easy.  He entered, and didn’t know what to say, so he said the first thing that came to his mind.

– he enjoys his vacations a lot, because he can do what he wants and no one can say anything (as opposed to during the season when he works hard).

– Madrid is more fun than Manchester, and he likes the weather, the people, the food, especially the jamón.

– he was advised to find a Spanish girlfriend upon his arrival in Madrid to give him stability, and he said that isn’t a problem.

– Cris is asked what he has for breakfast, and he says he has breakfast at Valdebebas: either coffee or milk, with bread and cheese, and sometimes cereal with milk.

– he’s also asked what he does right before sleeping, and Cris responds, I can’t say it here.

– asked about a possible Portugal-Spain meeting in the World Cup, he said you all (referring to Spaniards) might be sad afterwards.

Conclusion: Cristiano is seriously charismatic, he has the ability to make people who hate him like him (I confess, I’m a convert).  ¡Venga Cris!