Alex Telles gave an interview to Globoesporte in which he opened the book on Cristiano Ronaldo: he said that he had a great influence in Alex Telles’ move to Al-Nassr, that he had an influence on everything at the club, and that he had his own dish at meals.

“He has his own meal. His plate is different from the rest of the team, it’s a plate prepared especially for him and as soon as we sit down, the nutritionist comes straight away with his plate. He’s always the first to be sent,” revealed the former Porto full-back.

“He eats a lot of natural things, quinoa, avocado, salmon. Then he looks at other people’s plates. I even joked, ‘Man, you’re hungry, man!’”

However, he stresses that Cristiano Ronaldo’s habits ultimately affect the entire team.

“When it came to getting candy, people were scared, and they kept looking and watching what he was doing. Because he’s decent and we like to follow his example. So we don’t really know what to do with candy,” he said.

“For example, he ate something before the game. So in the next game we wanted that too. If it was good for him, it should be good for me too. He always has protein after lunch. Fifteen days later, twenty proteins arrived, and the other players wanted that too, to see if there was any magic there.

Moreover, Ronaldo’s authority is not only noticeable at the table.

“Chris has power everywhere,” says Alex Telles, before noting that he also had a major influence on the appointment of Luis Castro.

“Given his image, his experience, everything he has achieved, his opinion is very strong. Everything about Ronaldo involves a great team around him and he always wants the best by his side,” he added.

“He made it easier for me to go to Al-Nasr, for example. When the first talks started to happen, he called me. ‘Come here, let’s enjoy it together, the country is improving, football is improving, this player and that player are coming, let’s make a strong team, come here.’ Getting an invitation like that, there’s no way to say no. Then there was a time when things seemed complicated, and he called me and said he would solve it and that everything would be fine. When we arrived at the club, and we knew that Ronaldo had influenced our departure, we felt responsible, we had to justify his bet.”

Off the pitch, what is Cristiano Ronaldo like?

“He is a strange person. He is very kind and loves Brazilians. He is someone who is very close to Brazil, even because he is Portuguese. I sat next to him while eating at the hotel, so it became natural to exchange ideas, send jokes and laugh. It is a great honor to be able to share three years with him and see his routine. He is actually a role model,” he revealed.

“He got on well with everyone, but more with foreigners. Me, Talisca, Otavio, anyway. For us, who were with him longer, he ended up becoming a normal person. But new people who arrive at the club, when they see him for the first time, they get a little scared. Now I sent a message to Wesley, asking him if he had seen him yet, and he immediately replied that he didn’t even know what to do when he saw him.