Cristiano Ronaldo and Fabio Paim eat leftover McDonald’s burgers together every night.
They even flew on holiday together just weeks before Ronaldo lit up Euro 2004.
But after their football careers went in completely opposite directions, Pam wasn’t even sure his old friend remembered he existed.
The forgotten footballer will be terrified of returning to the pitch alongside his former Sports Academy team-mate – despite being a better player than him as a teenager.
Paim is three years younger than Ronaldo, so they didn’t play together often as kids, but they are good friends off the pitch.
They were united by their footballing prowess and love of fast food, a far cry from the super healthy nutritious diet elite athlete Ronaldo eats today.
Payim told SunSport: “When we used to play at Sporting Lisbon and live in the academy, we lived in the stadium.
“We used to go to McDonald’s at night and buy burgers that no one wanted, so they were hard to sell.
“We went there every night and had burgers.
“Yes, Sporting CP know. It’s not like now. “We were allowed to go out. “
Pem added: “We are friends. I can’t say we are best friends, but we are friends.
“I went on holidays with him. One of them was in Brazil, which was my first time there, before Euro 2004.
“It was Cristiano’s first European Championship with Portugal’s senior team and we had gone on holiday before.
“I train with the national team, but I’m too young to compete. If I were older, I could go there.”
The children first met when “Special” Paim signed up for a sports academy at the age of eight and played in a tournament on Madeira, the Portuguese island where Ronaldo was born.
At the time, Pam couldn’t have predicted how good the 11-year-old Ronaldo would become, but he did display some traits that underlined his incredible success.
Payim added: “I first met Cristiano when I was eight years old, I was new to Sporting Lisbon and we went to Madeira for a match.
“We had a great time together, it was really great. Football wasn’t that serious for us at that time.
an excellent football player
“We get to enjoy being kids.
“But I always remember Ronaldo as a hard-working man, very loyal and who wanted to be the best.
“He’s always been like this, when he loses he gets frustrated. It’s this hard work that got him to where he is now. Even today he doesn’t need to play but he wants to be the best.
“He’s won everything he can and there’s nothing left. But that’s what we worked hard for as kids.
“Even he didn’t know he would become what he is now. I was sure he would become a figure in football, a good player, but what level did he reach? At that time, no.”
In 2003, Ronaldo left Sporting Lisbon to join Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, making the unforgettable statement: “If you think I’m good, wait until you see Fabio Paim.”
Paim remains the only player Ronaldo openly admits to being better than him.
However, while Ronaldo went on to become one of the greatest footballers of all time, winning five Champions League titles and five Ballon d’Ors, Paim’s career fizzled out as fame and money took over, and he pursued It’s a lifestyle of women, cars and partying with him. Earning a huge salary at such a young age.
The former winger, who moved to Chelsea’s reserves on loan for £10,000-a-week at the age of 20, still regrets the mistakes he made which ultimately saw him squander his prodigious talent – not least because of his genuine He believes that he is not only better than Ronaldo, but also stronger than Ronaldo. Will be the best in the world.
Instead, he insists Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time and better than rival Lionel Messi, although not all Portuguese agree.
Paim took The Sun to his barber shop and Messi’s mad boss banned talking about the former Real Madrid player.
Asked about Ronaldo or Messi, Paim said: “I can’t tell the truth because the boss doesn’t allow anyone to pronounce Cristiano’s name.
“In his mind, Messi is always the best. “I can’t say Ronaldo, otherwise I won’t be able to come here next week! “
But eventually Pam relented: “Christian. This is my choice.”
“In my opinion, I really think he’s the best because of everything he’s conquered and everything he’s done.
“We will never see anyone like him again in Portugal. Never.
“Cristiano has reached the level he deserves with his hard work and hard work.
“But when I play, if I have the same effort and dedication, I will be better than him.
I don’t even know if Cristiano remembers my existence
Fabio Paim
“I have different characteristics. In terms of technique, I am better. I am a little Ronaldinho. But as we have seen, technique does not lead us anywhere.
“I regret some of the choices I made, but for myself, I couldn’t have reached Cristiano’s level.
“But, at that time I was better than Cristiano. “He should give me a Ballon d’Or! ”
Paim lost touch with Ronaldo – although ironically, in 2019, when he was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking and held in a cell for a year, he watched through a prison window as his former team-mate played against Portugal national team training.
Now, with the case lost and Pam’s name cleared, he’s helping kids avoid making the same mistake.
However, he has not played football for three years since a brief spell with Polish third-tier side LZS Starowice in the 2020-21 season.
After two previous knee surgeries, he needed to make a very specific phone call to lace up his boots again.
Pem added: “No, to be honest, I don’t want to play with Cristiano anymore.
“I’m afraid to go on the field because I know I’m going to get hurt. If he asks me, I’m going to go.
“I don’t even know if he remembers that I exist.
“It’s been a long time since I last spoke to him.
“We have different lives. He’s in his life and I’m in mine, but I’m sure if I met him somewhere we’d talk like we did before.”