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Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Real fans urge Ronaldo to stay during Champions League celebrations

Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid players and fans celebrate during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid supporters urged Cristiano Ronaldo to stay at the club during celebrations at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Sunday to mark their third consecutive Champions League title after an open-top bus parade through the Spanish capital.

Ronaldo had overshadowed Madrid's 3-1 win over Liverpool in Saturday's final in Kiev to lift a record-extending 13th European Cup by dropping a hint that he was about to leave the club in an interview moments after collecting the trophy, declaring "it was beautiful to be at Real Madrid".

The Portuguese looked in a far better mood during the celebrations in Madrid and lifted supporters' hopes that he would not be leaving by declaring "See you next year" while the team were gathered at the Cibeles fountain where they traditionally celebrate trophy wins.

Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid players and fans celebrate during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez

Ronaldo was given a hero's welcome at the Bernabeu as fans chanted his name and sang "Cristiano please stay".

Madrid's all-time top scorer then gave an optimistic speech on the pitch, saying: "I feel proud to play at the biggest club in the world. I'm very comfortable here. With these players it's impossible not to win."

Thousands of supporters turned out to greet Zinedine Zidane's history-making side, who began their celebrations with a service at the Almudena cathedral before visiting the city chambers and later the city hall, addressing gathered fans in the Plaza del Sol.

Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid players celebrate during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez

"Fortunately, this is turning into a routine for us," said Real captain Sergio Ramos of his team, who became the first side since Bayern Munich in 1976 to win the competition three years in a row.

"The team received support when we needed it the most and this also belongs to you. Now we have to think about winning number 14, because that's what this club obliges us to do."

Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo (L) celebrate with the trophy as Sergio Ramos (C) talks during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez

(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Clare Fallon)

Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid fans celebrate REUTERS/Paul Hanna
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid fans celebrate during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid's Isco celebrates with the trophy during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid's Marcelo and Sergio Ramos celebrate with the Champions League trophy during a ceremony REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos celebrates with the Champions League trophy during a ceremony REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid fans celebrate REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid team bus during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid fans celebrate with a number 13 ballon REUTERS/Paul Hanna
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo takes a selfie with Casemiro and Marcelo REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid fans celebrate during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid fans celebrate REUTERS/Paul Hanna
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates during victory celebrations REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid fans celebrate REUTERS/Paul Hanna
Soccer Football - Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League Final - Madrid, Spain - May 27, 2018 Real Madrid fans during a ceremony REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
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