MADRID: World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed he will “live like a king” once his playing career comes to an end, but has ruled out a move into coaching when he hangs up his boots.

Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer is in action on Sunday as Los Blancos look to move level with eternal rivals Barcelona in the La Liga title race at Valencia.

However, in a wide-ranging interview with Spanish newspaper El Mundo, he admitted football doesn’t always captivate his interest.

“I have a top life, but I think I am going to enjoy it more when I finish my career, when I have time to do what I like,” he said. “This Saturday there is a boxing bout in Las Vegas and I would like to take my friends and family to see it, and I can’t because I don’t have time.

“I am not going to cry about it now because I am making a sacrifice in inverted commas, but after I want to live like a king.”

Ronaldo is the world’s third highest paid athlete according to American business magazine Forbes with an annual income just shy of $80 million dollars.

And the 30-year-old believes he will continue to work on his brand once he retires from playing rather than a more traditional move into coaching.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2016