Luka Modric: 'Jose Mourinho almost made Cristiano Ronaldo cry'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 06 June 2020

Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho had to be separated following a heated exchange during their time at Real Madrid, according to Luka Modric.

Luka Modric has claimed that former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo was "on the verge of tears" after being criticised by manager Jose Mourinho.

Madrid legend Ronaldo played under Portuguese compatriot Mourinho for three seasons and scored an incredible 120 goals in 106 games.

The pair had to be separated at half time in a Copa del Rey tie, though, after Ronaldo left the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss "furious" with his reluctance to track back.

"Mourinho's reaction surprised me," Modric recalled in his biography My Game. "We were winning 2-0 in the Copa del Rey. Ronaldo didn't follow his man at a throw-in and Jose was furious with Cristiano.

"The two fought for a long time on the pitch. When we went back into the dressing room at half time, I saw Ronaldo upset, on the verge of tears.

"He said 'I'm doing the best I can and he's still criticising me'. Mourinho came in and started to criticise the Portuguese for his responsibility during the game.

"It got so heated between them that only the intervention of the players prevented a proper fight between them."

Ronaldo won four Champions Leagues in nine seasons with Madrid prior to joining Juventus in a £99m deal two years ago.