Source: Daily_Mail
How Cristiano Ronaldo almost turned his back on football to be a Sporting Lisbon ping pong star
Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed he was told to quit football to be a professional ping pong player.[LNB]The Real Madrid star showed such a talent for the game that coaches tried to poach him for the Sporting Lisbon table tennis team as a youngster.[LNB]Ronaldo, 24, admits he is still in love with ping pong in his forthcoming autobiography Momentos, but the former Manchester United forward says he could never have contemplated giving up his dream of following in the footsteps of Eusebio.[LNB] It could have been so different: Cristiano Ronaldo (right, kind of) might have been a Portugal ping pong star[LNB]'After football, ping pong is my favorite sport,' he says. 'I love to watch professional games and I like to play. [LNB]'Ibegan to feel a fascination for table tennis as a child because it is avery popular sport in Madeira, where there are several nationallycompetitive clubs. [LNB]'I started playing as a boy in my neighborhood and at school.When I moved to the school of Sporting, I kept playing ping pong.[LNB]'There were plenty of tables in the athletes' common and I spent good times there with my team-mates. [LNB] Multi-talented: United and England striker Wayne Rooney shows his talent for table tennis, while Ronaldo tries his hand at hurling on a summer trip to Ireland[LNB] 'One day the coach of the Sporting table tennis said, "I've seen you play and I think you can become a good table tennis player. Want to get in the team?". "No, no thanks", I replied without hesitation. "I want to be a footballer. Ping pong is a hobby, not a sport in which you want to be professional," I said.[LNB]'He tried to persuade me again and again. I always said "no", and he finally gave up. Football was my passion.[LNB]'I do not know if the ping pong has lost a good player, but I know that even today I enjoy playing. [LNB]'I play with the right, left... Without being boastful, I think I dopretty well. Even those who think they have a chance against me give upwhen faced with the facts.'[LNB]Instead of adding a spot of forehand spin to little white balls, theMadeiran has gone on to perfect the skill of whipping rather biggersphericals into the goal with his right foot.[LNB] Close call: Cristiano Ronaldo decided to try to win trophies with Real Madrid rather than become a ping pong pro[LNB] The reigning FIFA world player of the year and Ballon d'Or winner'sdecision was vindicated and an £80million summer move from United toMadrid made him the most expensive player in football history.[LNB]However, he may need a change of career if a voodoo practitioner called Pepe is to be believed. [LNB]Thewitch is taking credit for an ankle injury that has kept Ronaldo on thesidelines since the end of September and has warned that his careerwill be finished within a matter of months.[LNB] Ronaldo in line to face Barca as Real Madrid star prepares for his returnReal's Ronaldo in ruins within four months, claims voodoo attackerRONALDO SPECIAL: Who is my toughest opponent? It has to be AshleyCristiano Ronaldo and Jacko's dad team up for World Cup assaultFOLLOW REAL MADRID IN OUR STATS ZONE [LNB]
