“I just don’t want to put myself in situations where my downtime becomes a circus of people and photo opportunities,” he says, candidly. “Of course I do all that during the season, so it’s really important to move away from that when I can, and to respect my family and those around me by dedicating my time to them, not to fans or the press.”
Like many A-list stars before him who had suddenly had to deal with the pressures of becoming a big name overnight, Ronaldo quickly discovered the peaceful seclusion of the sea represented a pretty useful barrier for someone keen to escape constant interruption. “I like being on the yacht because I know I can trust the people around me and there is no-one else there to trouble me.
“It is a place I can relax and enjoy myself, in a way that I would never be able to do if I was at a restaurant or walking around a city. It is a special experience, and one I look forward to a lot.”
Ronaldo’s vessel is an Azimut Grande. Purchased in the summer of 2019 when the striker splashed out as a reward for himself for clinching the Serie A title with Juventus, the vessel is 88ft long and dripping in stylish endeavour.
Of course, for someone worth almost half a billion dollars, his purchase is the proverbial drop in the ocean, not that pursuit of material or monetary wealth is something that interests him any longer. “The yacht has reminded me of something I long knew – that it is the people around you who really count. And when you are confined in what is still a relatively small space, the people around you must be those you really, truly like!”
The boat has five luxurious cabins, each with a bathroom, a modern kitchen, relaxation areas, a lounge, dining room, and various other pockets of entertaining space which means guests don’t get under each other’s feet.
It would be remiss to describe the yacht – which has a top speed of 28 knots – as understated, but it certainly lacks the big-time bravado that accompanies other aspects of the Juve star’s life, such as his goal celebrations or provocative modelling.
“I think quiet luxury I have always wanted to focus on, and what I’ve wanted to have from a yacht,” he says. “I don’t want a big fuss – I just want nice surroundings, and the time and freedom to do my own thing, whether that’s sunbathing, playing with the children, entertaining, or going for a swim.”
If that’s Ronaldo’s intention, then clearly he succeeds in his aim.
I LIKE BEING ON THE YACHT BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN TRUST THE PEOPLE AROUND ME AND THERE IS NO-ONE ELSE THERE TO TROUBLE ME
And one may surmise even more time on board in future, with his football career gradually lessening in its intensity, despite what is an unrelenting passion for success. “I am not one to imagine an end of the road, but I know at my age things change and I am ready for the next phase in my life.
“People ask if seeing me out relaxing is a sign of things to come, but I don’t think it will be – that is just not me. I can’t be that person who just sits around for too long – in my head I will always be busy and I will always have something to do.”
While that’s true, investing in the future is certainly something that’s crossed the star’s mind. For many years he would charter the yacht Africa I – at around €200,000 euros per week – but his move into ownership cements a passion for the sea that has been with him since growing up on the small Portuguese island of Madeira.
“The decisions I make over the next few years will be part-reward, part-investment,” he reveals. “I still have business to do, I still have work to do; but I know I have achieved so much of what I set out to, and like all people who have invested so much energy into what they do, the reward should follow.”
24 | AUTUMN 2020 | ONBOARD
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