Living With Ronaldo Was WAR… And I Was Doing His Weekly Shop! | Rio Meets Anderson
4/30/202647 min
Anderson sits down with Rio Ferdinand for one of the most honest and unexpected Rio Meets yet — a story that goes far beyond football and one that’s been requested by thousands of you for many years.
From leaving home at 11 and living in a football stadium without any parents, to becoming a Golden Boy winner and signing for Manchester United via Jorge Mendes, Anderson opens up on the reality behind the journey - including why money, not passion, drove his early international career.
He reveals what it was really like living with Cristiano Ronaldo - from brotherly support to full-blown arguments, mind games over ping pong matches and being sent to do the weekly Costco shop. Plus, why Ronaldo’s obsession with winning left a lasting mark… and why Anderson believes just “5%” of that mentality would have changed his entire career.
There are incredible stories from what he described as “the greatest dressing room in football” - including why Ryan Giggs pushed him to take a Champions League final penalty, the moment his life flashed before his eyes walking to the spot, and how legends like Paul Scholes and Sir Alex Ferguson shaped him (even if he couldn’t understand a word the manager was saying).
Anderson also lifts the lid on the personalities inside that iconic United squad - from naming his dog after Wes Brown, to clashes with Cesc Fàbregas, dressing room chaos with Nani, and why that team’s togetherness made them the best he ever played in.
Plus, his honest take on modern football - including why Bruno Fernandes has carried United in recent years, why Michael Carrick deserves more respect, and why Neymar is still Brazil’s key to winning the World Cup.
This is Anderson like you’ve never seen him before - raw, funny, emotional and completely unfiltered.
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Clips
Showing 10 of 12Transcript preview
First 90 secondsRio Ferdinand· Host0:00
You have a great relationship with Shayzy Jay-Z, it's crazy. Yeah Fletchy Fletch, Wes, Wes.
Anderson· Guest0:04
Fletch, Wes- Yeah ... Dean's brother, my d- my dog is Wes Brown.
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:07
[laughs] Yeah. [laughs] I remember you coming, saying, "I have a dog. His name's Wes Brown."
Anderson· Guest0:13
[laughs] [laughs] I don't know.
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:15
There is one former teammate that people are always asking me about. His name is Anderson.
Anderson· Guest0:23
Look where I am now From the favela The favela to- No mom, no dad I leave my house when 11, 12 years old.
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:29
Oh, wow.
Anderson· Guest0:29
I, I go live in a club.
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:31
He joined the club age just 19 years old and was billed as a replacement for Paul Scholes. He was titled as the next Ronaldinho, the Golden Ball winner from Porto.
Anderson· Guest0:39
'Cause I don't understand what Ferguson say.
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:41
Yeah.
Anderson· Guest0:41
[laughs] The first year, I say, "What this guy say?" [laughs] I look at him. I say, "Look, he's complete my grand, my grand."
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:46
[laughs] Grandad.
Anderson· Guest0:47
[laughs] My grandad.
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:49
[laughs] My grandad. He's a kid that everyone warms to, and I'm delighted to be able to show you why we all loved him so much in our dressing room.
Anderson· Guest0:54
I always have good contract.
Rio Ferdinand· Host0:56
[laughs] [laughs] He always me... He used to always speak about, "Hey." Used to say, "Ando, do this." He say, "I have good contract." [laughs] [laughs] I also got a little bit of an insight in what it's like to live with Cristiano Ronaldo. Anderson lived with him for a year. So you, so you would go in Costco, buying the food, and then Cristiano cooking the food sometimes?
Anderson· Guest1:13
Cristiano sometimes.
Rio Ferdinand· Host1:14
Mm.
Anderson· Guest1:14
In the house, always fighting, but everyone love each other.
Rio Ferdinand· Host1:17
Love each other, yeah. I always thought you guys loved each other, and you, you... They said it to me once that your room was the, the messy room.
Anderson· Guest1:23
No, no, no.
Rio Ferdinand· Host1:23
The dirty room. Yeah. [laughs] And why he's still got an issue with Ryan Giggs.
Anderson· Guest1:27
I go to the penalty. Ryan