Ronaldo fires tech warning as he collects Dubai award (VIDEO)
Manchester United and Portugal ace Cristiano Ronaldo was greeted by thousands of fans at the Dubai Expo 2020 as he picked up the Globe Soccer Award's Top Scorer of All Time prize.
Thanks to his exploits at Euro 2020, and a September brace against Ireland in World Cup qualifying, the 36-year-old finally surpassed Ali Daei's all-time international goals tally for Iran and has since improved to 115 strikes overall.
As part of the ongoing Expo previously postponed due to the pandemic, Ronaldo rose in a central stage at the Al Wasl Plaza where a sea of fans greeted him with a roar.
"I didn't expect it to be honest," Ronaldo said of the crowd. "So this is... you guys are my motivation to carry on and play football because, without you guys, football will be less, because we are guided by the fans.
"Just to feel the warmth that you give to me, the motivation, the love, makes me feel so proud. I don't have words to express myself more than that. But I have to say, thank you, all of you for coming here," he added.
"I am fit because I take care of my body. Do everything that makes your body and mind healthy," Ronaldo told fans, before giving them some additional advice on the perils of technology which are rich considering his near-400 million following on Instragram.
"Listen to your father," Ronaldo insisted twice.
"My son often asks me when he will have a mobile phone. I always tell him: ‘Whenever it’s your time, you shall have it’."
"We must take advantage of technology and not be obsessed with it. Children should be given phones for a specific time and not all the time," he also said to parents as per limiting screen time.
About to become a father for the fifth and sixth time with twins, Ronaldo honored his pregnant partner Georgina Rodriguez by spending thousands to light up the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, with a "Happy birthday Gio" message and her photo.
"This is how this exciting day ends. I'm speechless. Thank you, thank you and thank you, Cristiano," the now 28-year-old Spaniard wrote on her own Instagram account while sharing a snap of the family in front of the landmark. "You can't make me happier every day."
Currently resting in the United Arab Emirates to recover from a thigh knock, Ronaldo should return to Manchester United action on February 4 when his side face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup Fourth round at Old Trafford.
