Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruben Dias and Kyle Walker talk at the 18th Dubai International Sports Conference

Life from Atlantis The Palm In the presence of some of the biggest and brightest stars in world football. Welcome to Dubai. Ladies and gentlemen, football fans, good evening. And welcome everyone, whether you're here in the room or, of course, tuning in from around the world to this, the

18th

Annual Dubai International Sports Conference, as well as the 14th edition of the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards immediately after. . This is organized annually by the Dubai Sports Council. Doing this since 2006, the Dubai International Sports Conference, which is a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has generated many, many substantive debates, driven by the biggest names in the game.

They come to participate in debates on topics, topics that explore various aspects that make football the global phenomenon that it is. So why are we here tonight? Well, the topic of our debate tonight focuses on sustainability and, of course, performance in football. On the topic of sustainability, here at the Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards we recognize the extraordinary importance of environmental responsibility and are committed to measuring the emissions associated with this event. Recognizing that responsibility, we commit to offsetting all measured emissions and, of course, taking additional steps to eventually ensure a carbon-neutral event in the future.

So, without further ado, it's time to get started. We are ready, you are ready. And facilitating this year's

conference

is, of course,

sports

presenter from our media partner, CNN, welcome Amanda Davies. Thank you very much indeed, Tom. Welcome everyone. They say the hardest thing when you get to the top is to stay there, right? Maybe it's a cliché, but it's true. And there aren't many in football who have done it as consistently over a period of time as the gentlemen who will join us to share some of the secrets of their success over the next 30 minutes or so.

We are

talk

ing about achieving maximum performance and maintaining it, about sustaining the beautiful game. Let's move on. Let's welcome back two players instrumental to Manchester City's historic campaign last season. Firstly, a Portuguese

international

with 53 caps for his country, consistently included in the FIFPro World XI for his role in the City defence, so integral to that triple-winning European season. It's Rubén Días. Welcome. Next up is a player joining him on that defensive line, a full-back who has helped City win five Premier League titles since joining in 2017, plus that incredible success last year. Known as one of the best full-backs of a generation, known for his pace, strength and vision, Ladies and Gentlemen, Kyle Walker.

That leaves us with a chair and joining the Manchester City duo, a player in his 22nd season as a professional footballer who spent most of them as part of the GOAT, the greatest debate of all time, five-time winners of the League Champions. the leading scorer of all time, and shows no signs of slowing down, as he topped the world's scoring charts last year. Let's welcome Cristiano Ronaldo. Amazing. Thank you very much for your time, gentlemen. Cristiano, you have made no secret of your loyalty to Manchester United, which means you would have a little problem, perhaps moving to City.

But can you at least appreciate the success and what they've done in the last 12 months? It was incredible. First of all, good afternoon or good night to everyone. I am so happy to be here. Thanks for the welcome. Well, about them, amazing. Incredible season. Congratulations to Manchester City for them and for all the players, the coach. They did an incredible job and finally won the Champions League. In my opinion, they should have deserved to win maybe two years ago. But the moment always comes. To be honest, I enjoy watching them play. I think they have a very good team, a very good coach, the system, how they play.

So amazing. Congratulations. Yes. And I guess that's not easy for you. Nothing is easy. They deserve it. Rubén, there had been a lot of

talk

about weight and so close and so far for you in the City team. What did it mean psychologically to overcome that line? Well, I guess until you do it, you haven't done it. But I also think that, especially when we talk about a club that has done it for the first time, a process is needed to do it. In the end today you see these faces collecting the grand prize, but it has been a job of many years.

In the end, it's not just us. It's quite a process. Congratulations are obviously for us, but for all the guys who participated before, coaches, players, everyone involved, because taking the club to where it was, to where it is now, I think it is the greatest prize we all have. . Kyle, what is the secret to this success? I mean, this is the point in the season where you look from the outside, people expect the leaders to falter, make some mistakes... This is where City accelerate. Yes, I mean, in recent years, we have known to start after the Christmas period.

But I think what the key and the secret is is wanting to do it over and over again. I think the manager is a big driving force in that. But I think also with some of the players we've brought in and out, we've always made sure to maintain high standards and keep winning year after year. And Pep has said it very openly: it is not just about a Champions League crown. You have to move on and win it again. Cristiano, that is something you did with Real Madrid, not once, not twice, but three times. What do you think was the key in that?

The key? Well, it's hard to say. I think it's faith, dedication, hard work and, in my opinion, nothing is a coincidence. I think they have the potential to do the same. I hope not, but they have potential. But I think they have potential because they still have a good team. Some players are at the top. They play good football. I think they have a good chance of winning the Champions League again. But we'll see. Many factors will happen. So who do you see as a favorite this season? The favorite? Yes. Well, they are always on top to be favorites, but they are always the same clubs.

Bayern, Manchester City, Real Madrid. I don't know. I think three will be the finals, I think. Who do you see as the favorite, Kyle? I think right there. You look at three teams: Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Manchester City. We are all there with good players and a chance to win it, one would say. But I also feel like you need luck. You need a bit of luck in the Champions League to make sure you get to the final, and then it's up to the big players in the big moments to go and win that game, which we have a lot of in the locker room.

Obviously, I'm sitting next to him and he's a fantastic player, one of the best to ever grace the sport. But I think the most important thing about our team is that no one stands out. We are all a collective and we are a team, and we depend on each other to make sure we can get over the line. We see the other night and Kevin came on in the 70th minute, and obviously the capabilities that Kevin has and things like that. But it is a process. It's a team game and that's what we're here for. We make sure we reach places where we can as a collective.

Cristiano, it is a team game without a doubt, but all eyes were on you as a player when you arrived in Saudi Arabia. I think it's fair to say that there were some people who weren't very positive about it. But what... How did that act as motivation for you? I thought it would be a good decision for me. Why not give another country a chance with my football, with my passion, to change mentalities? Why not? And I am able to do that. I'm not arrogant, but I said it a year ago. Things change, the world changes, football changes, the rules change, everything changes.

My move, I think it was a good move. I feel very happy. Many players moved there, coaches, managers, even nutritionists, are moving there. Saudi Arabia is in the process. They will take a long time. But in life we ​​always say that step by step we reach the highest level. I think they will be among the top three or four in the world. But step by step I think we're going to get there. Where do you think the level is now? You've been there for a year now, right? Say it again, I'm sorry. You have been living in Saudi Arabia for a year, where do you think the level is now?

The level right now? To be honest, I think the Saudi League is no worse than the French League, in my opinion. French League, I think you have two, three teams with a good level. In Saudi Arabia now I think it is more competitive. They can say what they want. It's just my opinion and I played there for a year, so I know what I'm talking about. But I think right now we are better than the French League, so we continue to improve. What do you think is the key to taking it to the next level? The key?

Do you have many factors that are applied to improve the league? As I said before, they have many things to improve. But I think that with powerful people behind it to help change the culture of football a little bit, the bad habits, I think we will get to a point where the people of Saudi Arabia will be proud. The investment there is enormous. Why not believe in that? In Saudi Arabia, even in Dubai, things change and the world changes, so they deserve opportunities. To what extent did you use criticism as motivation? Say again. How much did you use criticism as motivation when...?

It's part of the journey. I'm always dealing with that. I am a professional for 22 years. It's part of my journey to be a better man, a better player, a better father. So it's good. I like it when people doubt me and I prove again that a year was successful. I had a bit of a rough road last year, but I'm glad that happened because it makes me feel stronger. And you can see that this year I had a fantastic season. I was the best scorer. Imagine beating that animal, the little lions like Haaland, for example, with goals.

So I'm proud. I'll be 39 soon and I still look good, so I'm proud. Rubén, I suppose you have had the pleasure of being Cristiano and Erling's teammate. Who would you prefer on your team? Difficult question. Well, in the end, they are just different players. Obviously, Cristiano is older, he is at a different stage of his career. But obviously, when it comes to choosing between players, I always stay away from that question simply because everyone is different and there are so many different ways to look at the game nowadays. And one might fit an idea better, the other might fit better than the other.

But in the end I think it wouldn't be bad with either of them because the only thing they both do a lot of is score goals. Cristiano talked about using criticism and skeptics as motivation. Thierry Henry recently revealed that he now looks back and believes he was suffering from mental depression and low points during his career. How do you face difficult times and still perform on the field? Well, I think that since we were little we are told and we grow up knowing that, unfortunately, that is part of being a footballer, especially at the highest level.

The more visibility you have, the more open you are to criticism, as well as being open to being encouraged and loved when things are going well. I think it's about developing that strong mindset that will protect you in some way when times get a little tougher. Then in the end it's about fighting with yourself a little bit and always coming out on top. A bit like you said, we are all criticized at some point in our lives for personal reasons, for professional reasons. It can be from anywhere, sometimes you don't expect it. But what matters is that you always stay strong and always remember where you are going.

I think we have many examples of that here in this room. How much do you trust yourself in those moments? How much do you rely on the team? I do think that especially in those moments of criticism is when you trust yourself the most. That's when you have to trust the most in everything you've built, because that's the time when you're probably not going to have as many people around you trying to help you and supporting you. And that's the moment where you just step up and show the world and everyone around you that you're there and people can talk, they can say whatever they want, but you are who you want to be.

Let's talk about Pep. What is life like with Pep Guardiola? The days are hard. I think now I speak on behalf of everyone because of what he has achieved, what he does in football, what he teaches you, not only as a football player, but as a person. No pressure. I mean, he looks at that look. No, but it's fantastic. He probably knows it. But it's difficult because he demands a lot from you, but it's also what you have to do every day, come to training and make sure you give 100%, and you also have to demand of yourself.

But sometimes you have days off, but you can't have days off with him because as soon as you have them, he usually yells at you. Ederson said the thing about Pep is that he is always 10 steps ahead of everyone else. As a player, how difficult is it to keep up? Well, I think it shouldn't be difficult because if there is one thing besides having the coach that we have and the structure that we have, it is that we also have players who want to be forwards too, although sometimes we are not and he is the one who keeps shooting. of us.

But as a player, if you are ambitious and wantkeep winning, especially after so many wonderful things this team has done, this is the kind of person you need by your side to keep you going, obviously, as an effort from everyone, not just him, not just us, everyone, but he is the man at the front of the ship. That's why it's crucial for him to have that mentality. How do you compare Cristiano, what you see from Pep with Sir Alex Ferguson? I think the mentality of the winners is different, in my opinion. The personality, the character, the way they see life, the way they see the players, the way they see the difficult moments, the best players and the best coaches, they are thinking differently.

As I said before, it is no coincidence that he won what he won. So there are no miracles, hard work. You see things differently from others, like Alex Ferguson and, of course, other managers as well. They are different. When you look at what happens next in your career, how much longer is there? What happens next in your career? How much longer can you maintain this level? I don't know. I live day by day. How much do you trust data and facts and how much is instinct? Listen, with some problems I had, personal and professional, they make me feel and think differently.

As I told you before, I'm thinking about the present and the moment. The moment is good. I feel good. I am still capable of scoring some goals, helping my team and also the national team. So I will continue. When it ends, I don't know, to be honest. But of course, it will be soon. Soon, I want to say, 10 more years, but I'm kidding. It's so relative. It's so relative. I don't know. We'll see. Are you instinct or data? Instinct. Instinct. The way I feel about myself is more like playing with how you feel. I think when you're happy and when you feel happy with yourself, we're doing the job that everyone loves, that we were all little kids playing football.

We wanted to do what we are doing now. I just want to enjoy it. I want to enjoy it as much as possible and then just play with a smile on my face. I think Cristiano, when he wants to retire, he will retire. He deserves the right to that. But I go more on instinct and just do what makes me happy. As the calendar lengthens, Bernardo Silva was very open talking about the Club World Cup and its expansion. How easy is that? How much more difficult does it make your job to maintain the level you are at?

I don't think it gets harder because we're doing what we love. As I just said before, this is what we get paid to do and we get paid well to do it. To achieve what we have achieved, I think we probably should have won a Champions League earlier, when we reached the final against Chelsea. But you do need setbacks in life. You need things to come back from or almost moments to then also achieve your dream, which we didn't achieve. Winning the Super Cup and then the Club World Cup was an advantage. You are in those competitions because you won the Champions League.

Listen, we're in the FA Cup, we're obviously still fighting very hard for the Premier League and still in the Champions League. We will try to replicate what we did last year. Who knows what will happen, but why not? How does your career compare to what you expected when you started as a kid? Well, starting with Sheffield United and then going to Tottenham at 19 and leaving there at 27 without any medals was tough. To come here and win the amount of Premier Leagues I have won in such a short time. Obviously, the Champions League has been more than I ever dreamed of.

But that's not just me. That's without the past and present players who have been here. It has been a journey, and it has been a journey that I have loved, and that is why I have extended my contract, obviously, at Manchester City. It is a team that is finally in my heart. How much of your career, and I will also ask Rubén, how much of your career depended on your academic career and your life as a student, and how much has been your subsequent development? I think it teaches you certain things or certain paths in your life when you are a schoolboy.

I think you probably now look at Rico and Oscar who are here tonight. I think old Phil, who was born in 2000, his path will be completely different from mine. But I think everyone has their own journey. Everyone has their own journey in life and it has led us to where we are today, enjoying this moment and this special night. I just feel what your path is, it's destiny. Rubén, in terms of how much you paid attention when you were in the academies in Portugal? Well, obviously, I think I consider myself very lucky to have grown up in the Benfica academy.

I don't know if people are very aware, but the academy is probably all a young player can need to become whatever he wants to be. But I think you can come from different backgrounds. At home I had a different, very different example, my own brother, and he lived another way of doing things his way. But I think being around football, in a locker room, dealing with other young footballers, helps you develop. It helps you. I've met a lot of people from different backgrounds who are in very good shape in terms of moving away from their usual place and getting into a football where you deal with different communities and different types of people.

In the end, I think the end result, whether you make it to the top or not, will always be a little better than you were before. Kyle mentioned that Rico had arrived. What do you see as your role in terms of developing the next generation and allowing them to thrive not only in the locker room, but also on the field? It's actually not that old. He just talks like he's 33 years old. He is one many. No, we try and make sure it's enjoyable. You want to come to work and enjoy it, above all. Me, Kevin, Rubén, Rodri, Bernardo, the captains, make sure it is a nice place.

You come here because you are happy, but we are here to win. That's the main. As Rubén said, it comes from the drive that the manager has. But our job as captains is to make sure the boys are happy, that they are completely focused on what we have to do, and where this team is formed is that we are their voice in the locker room. I don't know if you saw Vinícius Jr. scoring his goal this week and paying tribute to you. How proud are you of that in terms of inspiring the next generation?

It was ok. When you have a family, a big family like mine, it's good to be proud of your children. Junior, he does it his way. I think he has a good talent and he still needs to improve more, I need to teach him some tricks, but I think he is on a good path. He is a good boy. He likes to play soccer. He has the drive, so he makes me happy. What is his key advice to the next generation in terms of getting to the top and staying there? Believe. I think you should believe in everything.

And of course, the rest is dedication, hard work, listening to people who know more than you, who have more experience than you, and believing in your talent. I think that's the main point. What a note to end on. Everyone nods. Thank you very much, gentlemen, for your time. It has been a real pleasure speaking with you. A fantastic insight into some of the best and most successful of their generation. There's plenty more silverware up for grabs later this season, of course, and maybe even later tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruben Dias and Kyle Walker.