Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has said he wants Cristiano Ronaldo to stay at the club "forever" after the Portuguese superstar's shootout penalty won the Champions League final.

Ronaldo had struggled to make a major impression as Real drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid after extra time in Milan -- but he stepped up to smash home his side's fifth successful penalty to seal a 5-3 shootout success.

"Everyone knows I want Cristiano to stay here forever," he told Antena 3 television. "He is one of the pillars of the team and of the history of the club.

"Real Madrid have made a new era with him."

Perez hailed coach Zinedine Zidane, who lifted the trophy as a Madrid player in 2002, scoring the winner against Bayer Leverkusen, and was assistant coach to Carlo Ancelotti for the 2014 final victory over Atletico.

"Zidane, for me, for Madrid and its history, has been very important," he said.

"He changed history in 2002, and he has won the Champions League as a player, an assistant and now as the coach."

The president said the Bernabeu club had enjoyed "a good league" despite narrowly losing the Liga title to rivals Barcelona.

"All seasons are tough, but we fought to the end," he added. "La Liga is very difficult. We've fought.

"I won't say more. We had a good League, and we had a good European Cup."

Perez paid tribute to Atletico, who eliminated both Barcelona and Bayern Munich from this season's competition but, for the second time in three campaigns, were unable to defeat city rivals Real in the final.

"I would like to dedicate a few words to Atletico, our neighbour and friend," he said. "In the last few years, they have shown the level they are at.

"You feel for them because of the effort they have made, but I am sure they will win it in the future."

He dedicated the club's victory to fans who died in a terror attack in Iraq earlier this month, saying they were people "who transmitted the values of Madrid."

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by ESPN staff

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