Record Juventus signing Cristiano Ronaldo says his move from Real Madrid is a “well thought out decision” as the Portugal forward aims to help his new club win their first Champions League title in more than two decades.
Ronaldo, who joined the Italian champions last week on a four-year contract for 100 million euros (AD$157m), added that he did not want to stay in his comfort zone after winning three straight European Cups with Real during his club unveiling.
“I’m a person who likes to think about the present,” he said.
“I’m still very young and I always liked the challenges, from Sporting, to Manchester (United), to Real (Madrid) and now Juventus.
“It was a well thought-out decision. It is the best club in Italy. It has an outstanding manager (Massimiliano Allegri) and coaches so it was not a difficult decision to take.
“I am very ambitious and I like new challenges. I hope everything will go very well. Luck always helps but you have to look for it.”
While Juventus will hoping Ronaldo can help the club break a two-decade Champions League title drought, they are already reaping the rewards of the Portuguese superstar.
The prolific striker’s No.7 jersey has reportedly sold $60m worth of merchandise in just 24 hours – almost half his Juventus salary.
Many young fans who came out to greet their new hero were already wearing Juventus shirts emblazoned with “Ronaldo” and the number 7.
Others wore t-shirts with the message “Bem-vindo” – “welcome” in Portuguese – which 5,000 shopkeepers put up posters ahead of Ronaldo’s arrival.
One local ice-cream parlour has even created a “CR7” cone, featuring a Portuguese cherry liquor and chocolate shavings.
However, the mood of joy was not universal. The costly signing upset leaders of one minority union at an automobile plant in southern Italy owned by Fiat-Chrysler — in turn owned by the same holding company as Juventus.
They called a protest strike for Monday but only five of the plant’s 1,700 workers turned out at a protest in support of the action dismissed as a “stunt” by bigger unions representing the workers in Melfi, in the Basilicata region.
