Cristiano Ronaldo was once scolded to the point of tears at Real Madrid.

Luka Modric disclosed that Cristiano Ronaldo once cried due to criticism from the coach while at Real Madrid.

Less than six months after Luka Modrić left Real Madrid, the Spanish royal club already began to miss the midfielder. The Croatian star not only contributed on the field but also served as a true leader in midfield, ready to take responsibility and control the game during difficult moments.

Modric’s departure might have been reasonable in the long term, but in reality, Real Madrid struggled without him. Meanwhile, at 40 years old, Modric remains a key player regularly featuring for AC Milan.

In a recent interview with Corriere, the Real Madrid legend spoke about the great coaches he has worked with and the impact they left. Modric gave special praise to Carlo Ancelotti, whom he regards as the best both professionally and personally.

However, according to Modric, Jose Mourinho was the strictest coach he ever worked with at Bernabeu. “Mourinho is very special, both as a coach and as a person. He was the one who brought me to Real Madrid. Without Mourinho, I would never have worn the Real jersey. I regret only working with him for one season.”

Modric shocked many by revealing how strict Mourinho was in the locker room:

“Mourinho was the toughest. I once saw him make Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the locker room just because Ronaldo refused to chase an opposing fullback once,”Modric said. “Mourinho was very direct and honest. He treated Sergio Ramos and a rookie exactly the same: if something needed to be said, he said it straight.”

Modric’s revelation surprised many because Ronaldo has long been known as a strong-willed player with a big ego. He joined Real Madrid as a top global star and quickly made a huge impact at Bernabeu. Therefore, the fact that Ronaldo was criticized to tears by a coach shocked many.

Also in the interview with Corriere, Modric had many flattering words for his former teammate Ronaldo.

“Ronaldo and Messi have defined an entire era. I was closer to Cristiano because I played alongside him at Real Madrid. I can say with certainty that Cristiano is not only a great player but also a wonderful person,”Modric said. “People don’t know this, but he has a very big heart and is always ready to help others. He is a very humble person.”

“Regarding Messi, I don’t know him personally, but I have no doubt he is extraordinary. As a player, he is truly outstanding.”Modric responded when asked about Messi.