Vallejo: CR7 is not as arrogant as people think

In a recent interview with the program "Feeberse," Vallejo discussed his time at Real Madrid. He mentioned that Cristiano Ronaldo was not arrogant as the outside world perceived him to be, but rather the best player in the world in his eyes, and that Cristiano Ronaldo even personally corrected his training movements at the gym.

What did you feel when Real Madrid signed you in 2015?

It felt like a dream. I knew Real Madrid might be interested in me, but I really didn't expect them to pay my release clause directly. When my agent called to tell me, I was completely stunned. And that transfer allowed me to stay in Zaragoza for another year, which was good for my "home."

Were you nervous when you first entered the Real Madrid dressing room? Were those big names easy to get along with?

To be honest, I was quite nervous. Luckily, there were quite a few familiar faces in the team—Mayoral, Ceballos, Llorente—so I initially stayed behind them. Those senior players, like Ramos and Ronaldo, were really good to us young guys. They weren't the aloof kind of stars; they would proactively give you advice, teaching you how to train and how to recover.

Ronaldo is known for his self-discipline. What did you learn from him?

Especially the details in the gym. He would correct my movements and teach me how to exert force. But what I learned most was observing how he did it—how he approached each training session and how he understood his own body. I've always believed that the best education isn't preaching, it's showing you how.

Some say Ronaldo is arrogant. Did you experience that in the locker room?

Absolutely not. In my eyes, he's an extremely professional person, willing to share his experience for the team. He was once the best player in the world. In terms of on-field leadership, he's probably the best I've ever seen.