Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has said he has no regrets about 2014 and that it was probably his best year yet.
The 29-year-old picked up the Ballon d’Or on Monday night – the third one of his career – after another outstanding year for his club. He helped Los Blancos to four titles – the Champions League, Copa del Rey, European Super Cup and World Club Cup – and scored more than 50 goals along the way.
But at international level, 2014 wasn’t quite as glorious as Portugal slumped out of the World Cup at the group stage, with Ronaldo clearly unfit for the tournament. But speaking to fifa,com, he said he has no regrets about playing and that being injured was no excuse.
He stated: “I could’ve told the coach not to consider me. I could’ve headed off on holidays instead without the worry and it would’ve been easier for me. Nobody would have been able to talk about me out there. However, I like to face up to things directly. First of all, I don’t want to use the fact I was injured as an excuse, but it’s true that I wasn’t 100 per cent, as many people knew, and some didn’t want to know.
“But, as I said, I’m not making excuses. That I’m here today is down to my sacrifices, dedication and the sweat of my brow,” he added.
