Marotta shares Cristiano Ronaldo anecdote: ‘There was a bottle of mineral water’

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Peter Young | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 8:25 AM ET

Inter President Beppe Marotta , formerly of Juventus, has shared an anecdote from his time working with Cristiano Ronaldo in Turin, explaining how the Portuguese great uses his ‘intelligence’ to maximise his performance.

Marotta on Ronaldo at Juventus: ‘He uses his intelligence’

Marotta, at a book launch on Tuesday, spoke in-depth to reporters on a number of topics, including the current state of affairs at Inter, the latest on San Siro, the impact of Luka Modric in Serie A and the prospect of Milan vs. Como being played in Australia.

Marotta also briefly spoke about his time with Juventus on Tuesday, and was asked by reporters to share an anecdote from his time with Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He’s different from all the others, there’s nothing more to say,” Marotta said.

Ronaldo joined Juventus from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018, just a few months before Marotta left the club. He would go on to join Inter later that year.

Still, Marotta was impressed with what he saw from Ronaldo in their four months together with Juventus.

“When we went away on a training camp, there was a bottle of mineral water on the table,” Marotta explained. “He took it and analysed all the ingredients. Then he consulted with the doctors and asked them why things were the way they were.

“As long as he’s still playing, it’s because he uses his intelligence to get the most out of everything.”

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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