Legendary coach reveals Ronaldo's 'shocking' habits during his time at Real Madrid

12/10/2025 22:34:00 SportScoop

Former Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello recently shocked football enthusiasts by revealing the "unimaginable" habits of Brazilian legend Ronaldo during his tenure with the Spanish royal club.

According to the Italian strategist, the "Alien" once weighed as much as 94 kg and spent nights partying non-stop, ignoring the demanding training and match schedule.

Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2002, at the pinnacle of his remarkable career. Over five years at the Bernabeu, the 1976-born striker netted 83 goals in 127 matches, helping the "White Vultures" uphold the reputation of the "Galacticos" squad. Yet behind the spotlight was a hedonistic lifestyle that Capello considered "unacceptable for a professional footballer."

In an interview with AS, Capello said frankly: "Ronaldo was the most talented player I have ever coached, but he was truly reckless. He partied every night, his weight rose to 94 kg with no intention to lose it. I had to inform president Ramon Calderon that there was no hope for him to change. Ultimately, we had to let Ronaldo leave."

Coach Capello and Ronaldo during their time at Madrid

Capello took over Real Madrid for the second time in 2006, as the golden era of the "Galaxy" generation was coming to an end. Even though Ronaldo was still with the team, Real signed Ruud van Nistelrooy from Manchester United — a move indicating the management was ready for a parting. Shortly after, Ronaldo moved to AC Milan, while Capello, despite leading Real to the 2006/07 La Liga title, was dismissed after just one season.

Interestingly, Ronaldo later admitted that he once "partied without limits" while in Spain. In a conversation on Charla Podcast, the Brazilian legend recalled: "I attended every party. After each Saturday match, I flew to Paris, partied all night Sunday, then caught the 7 a.m. flight back to Madrid to make the 10 a.m. training. I did this many times."

Ronaldo added: "If there were no parties in the city where I played, it was over. So I organized them myself and invited friends. I always wanted everyone to have fun."

Despite criticism for lacking professionalism, Ronaldo insisted he always trained hard: "I didn’t know exactly what to do to become a great player, but I always learned and trained with full effort. People say I had extraordinary fitness, but no one achieves that without training."

After a short spell at AC Milan, Ronaldo returned to Brazil to play for Corinthians before retiring in 2011. The stories revealed by Capello today once again highlight the strange contrast between the football genius and the "carefree" lifestyle habits of one of the greatest strikers in football history.

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