“I love tennis more now than football” – Ronaldo makes big admission

While attending the Mouratoglou Annual Charity Gala on the French Riviera on Sunday night, special guest and Brazil football legend Ronaldo was seen speaking about his love for tennis.

In a video of the event, the double World Cup (1994-2002) and Ballon d’Or (1997, 2002) winner is heard saying that he loves tennis more than football these days.

“I love everything [about] tennis. I think tennis more now than football,” he said at the Mouratoglou Academy to the 350 people in attendance, while receiving a special prize from his fellow Brazilian Victoria Barros.

“It’s unbelievable. I cannot watch whole (football) matches, I think it is too boring. Five hours watching tennis? (I can) It’s too crazy.

Ronaldo: “My backhand? Patrick (Mouratoglou) can’t fix it”

Ronaldo proved his passion for the game by spending 30,000 euros to win an auction, the prize for which was Coco Gauff‘s 2023 US Open victory racquet, signed by the player.

“I train three times a week. I’m very competitive, I want to get better every day. But my backhand, oh my God… I think it is the only thing Patrick (Mouratoglou) cannot fix,” Ronaldo said jokingly.

“We didn’t try yet,” Mouratoglou answered. The French coach has trained the Brazilian star several times, once on Miami central court this year, as viral videos showed.

“I love tennis so much… It is a social sport,” Ronaldo concluded.

The football legend was one of the guest stars of this annual event which has brought five million euros in 10 years to help young talented players to chase their dream of tennis glory. Gauff, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune are among their number, as is Brenda Fruhvirtova, the 17-year old world No 88, who attended the ceremony.