José Semedo has shared a powerful story about his lifelong friendship with Cristiano Ronaldo, revealing how the Portuguese superstar played a decisive role in keeping him at Sporting’s academy — a moment he says ultimately changed the course of his life.
In an emotional recollection, Semedo described a difficult period during their youth days when he was told he could remain at the club but would have to give up his room at the academy and commute daily from his family home in Setúbal. The change would have made it significantly harder for him to continue developing as a young player.
“I didn’t have a good season with the under-14s,” Semedo recalled. “The club called me and said I could stay but that I would have to go back to my parents’ house in Setúbal, about 45 minutes away, because they were going to give my room to someone else.”
At the time, Semedo shared the news with Cristiano Ronaldo, unaware that the reaction he would receive would shape both of their futures. Ronaldo immediately opposed the decision, insisting that his friend remain at the academy.
“I told Ronaldo that next year I would live at home again, that I wouldn’t be here every day,” Semedo explained. “He said, ‘No, if you go, I’ll never see you again. If you go, you’ll train twice and that’s it. If you go, I’ll go.’”
Determined to help his friend, Ronaldo reportedly went directly to speak with the head of the academy, making a bold request that demonstrated both his confidence and loyalty.
“He went to talk to the head of the academy and told him that Semedo can’t go, he’s going to stay here with me,” Semedo said. “He said they could put an extra bed in his room and that we could share a closet for our clothes. And then he said what he had told me: if I went, he would go too.”
According to Semedo, Ronaldo’s growing reputation as an exceptional young talent gave his words considerable weight. Even at a young age, Ronaldo was widely recognized as the standout prospect within the academy, regularly earning individual honors.
“I asked him how I managed to stay at the academy and he replied: ‘Because I’m the best player here. They have to look after me and keep me in good condition. I like you a lot and I don’t want to lose you,’” Semedo recalled.
Semedo described Ronaldo as a “diamond” from a young age, noting that he was consistently named the most valuable player in youth tournaments from as early as 10 years old. The academy, aware of his extraordinary potential, granted his request — placing an extra bed in his room so the two friends could live together.
“They did everything he said. They did everything they could to make him happy. So they got an extra bed and that’s what we did. I slept in his room,” Semedo added.
For Semedo, the moment represented far more than a simple act of friendship. He believes Ronaldo’s intervention saved him from returning to an environment where many of his childhood peers faced serious difficulties and life-threatening choices.
“I owe everything I have to him,” Semedo said. “The place where I come from, in Setúbal, is not a good place for a young person. Many of my friends there were involved in crime. Some of them are dead now or in prison.”
He admitted that returning home at that stage of his life could have led him down a dangerous path, making Ronaldo’s actions even more meaningful in hindsight.
“If I had gone back, I might have stolen cars with them. He changed my life. My family, my children, my career: all because of him.”
