Ronaldo reveals tears

The Portugal international, who joined Real from Manchester United for a world record £80 million in the summer, told a Spanish magazine the extent to which defeat affects him.

He said: "I still cry sometimes out of sadness when we lose."

The 24-year-old's sister Elma also revealed that he used to cry to her on the phone when he left his home island of Madeira to join Sporting Lisbon as an 11-year-old.

She said: "He was alone in Portugal and used to cry on the phone many nights. We cried too because we missed him... and because he was young and alone."

Ronaldo avoided tears on his first match in La Liga on Saturday, scoring a penalty at the Bernabeu to help Real beat Deportivo la Coruna 3-2.