Cristiano Ronaldo Faces, Mostly Dodges Questions About The Rape Allegation Against Him

Today, Cristiano Ronaldo had his first public press conference since Las Vegas police earlier this month reopened a 2009 investigation of a rape allegation against him. The Juventus star was asked directly about the accusation, but he responded by primarily talking about how great his life is.

In the last question of the 10-minute presser—scheduled ahead of Juventus’s Champions League match against Manchester United tomorrow—Ronaldo was asked specifically what he thought of the rape allegation brought by Kathryn Mayorga, an American woman who said Ronaldo raped her in a hotel room in Las Vegas in 2009, then bought her silence using a non-disclosure agreement (that her lawyer is now challenging). Ronaldo smirked, laughed, and said:

“Again, you didn’t listen what I say. I am a happy man. We did the statement two weeks ago, if I’m not wrong. So I am glad, of course, I’m not going to lie on this situation, I’m very happy. My lawyers, they are confident and of course I am, too. The most important, is I enjoy the football, I enjoy my life. The rest, I have people who take care of my life. Of course, the truth is always coming in the first position. So, I’m good.”

In the previous question, Ronaldo was asked about being a role model. He said:

“I know that I am an example. I know, 100 percent. On the pitch and outside the pitch. So I am always smile, I am happy man, I’m blessed that I play in a fantastic club, I have a fantastic family, I have four kids, I am healthy. I have everything. So the rest, it doesn’t interfere on me. I’m very very well.”

The very first question of the press conference alluded to difficulties over the past two months: Ronaldo missing out on winning an award and an “inquiry,” that likely referred to the allegation. He was asked if it created a problem for him:

“This is not the most important thing. I’m not to upset about individual awards. My last two months in Juve was amazing. Everything has gone well. The adaptation has gone well. The awards don’t mean everything. It’s not a problem.”

The rest of the presser barely strayed from the standard pre-match questions about the competition. Maybe someone could’ve asked why he hasn’t sued Der Spiegel if their reporting was inaccurate.