Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo did not always see eye to eye during their time together at Real Madrid, despite enjoying good success together.
The pair combined to astonishing effect in the 2011/12 campaign when Real Madrid toppled arch rivals Barca to win La Liga, finishing the year with 100 points scoring121 goals.
This week it was announced that Ronaldo had become the world’s first billionaire footballer, and he won league titles and trophies galore with Manchester United, Madrid and Italian side Juventus.
Ronaldo was a key part of Real Madrid’s success in a team which also boasted the goalscoring talents of Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain.
Mourinho added Luka Modric to the team during the summer of 2012 but with Barca again asserting their dominance the Portuguese manager began to feel the strain never more so than, according to the midfielder, during a Copa del Rey game when he lost his temper with Ronaldo in a row that left the player close to tears.
‘I was surprised by Mourinho’s reaction. We were winning 2-0 in the Copa del Rey,’ Modric wrote in his biography ‘My Game’.
Scholes claims Solskjaer is totally wrong about Bruno Fernandes
Lionel Messi doubtful for LaLiga restart after Barca confirm injury blow
‘Ronaldo did not chase the rivals on his throw-in and Jose was furious with Cristiano.
‘The two fought for a long time on the field. After returning to the locker room at half-time, I saw Ronaldo desperate, on the verge of tears.
‘He said, ‘I do my best and he continues to criticise me. Mourinho came in and began to criticise the Portuguese for his responsibility during the game.
‘They became so hot that only the intervention of the team-mates avoided a real fight between them.’
