Day Semedo’s mate Ronaldo turned joke on Wednesday doubters
CHANCES are you haven’t heard the one about Barry Bannan in Amsterdam with Cristiano Ronaldo. As Christmas party tricks go, this has to be up there.
The occasion was Sheffield Wednesday’s festive shindig, when almost all of Carlos Carvalhal’s squad flew to Holland in late November, hours after beating Wolves in the Championship.
Drink was flowing and Wednesday were bonding when Bannan suggested to club captain Jose Semedo he get his apparent best friend on the phone. It turns out Semedo’s closest companion currently has the Ballon d’Or in pride of place in his Madrid villa.
‘Barry and Steven Fletcher were asking me to ring Cristiano. They thought I’d say no, no, let’s not do that,’ Semedo laughed. ‘So I Facetimed him. They knew we were friends, but didn’t really realise how close we are.’
Wednesday’s squad congratulated Ronaldo on Portugal’s European Championship victory last summer amid some general admiring chatter.
Ronaldo then implored Wednesday to win promotion to the Premier League after hearing so much about the club from a friend to whom he has spoken almost every day for the 20 years.
He also plans to visit Hillsborough in the near future to sample its unique atmosphere.
‘They couldn’t believe it,’ Semedo added. ‘He was talking to them normally, like he knows Bannan or Fletcher like a friend. It was crazy, they couldn’t believe it. “Oh my God, I’m talking to Ronaldo”. I hope he can make it over, I want him to come for the fans. I want them to see Ronaldo, a huge star, step on to their pitch.’
Semedo is set for his first appearance since August when Wednesday travel to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup today and cannot wait to wear the blue and white again.
He was close to tears last May at the ovation afforded by supporters after reaching the play-off final and enjoys a special bond with them.
Hundreds went to a fixture at Nottingham Forest in 2012 all sporting
masks of his face. He still has his own from that day.
‘It’s something magical,’ he said. ‘The image I have in my mind is stepping out of the dressing room and just seeing my face! And the Portugal flag ... imagine it.’
Semedo wants to remain in Sheffield after retirement and puts his professional career down to Ronaldo, whom he knows better than anyone.
The pair met in Sporting Lisbon’s academy and still set a week aside every summer for their families to holiday.
‘I see Ronaldo as a proper brother,’ said Semedo. ‘We’ve grown up together. He doesn’t think he would ever have reached the level he has, but believes it’s down to our mentality not to give up on anything.’
They were taught the hard way at Sporting, having both moved into the academy digs two years early.
Semedo, then 12, revealed they were picked on as a pair by older boys.
‘We had a hard time there. The bigger boys were laughing, thinking it is all a joke.’
Bannan and Fletcher might have thought it was all a hoax too until Ronaldo’s face popped up on Semedo’s iPhone.