Ronaldo never wanted to leave Real Madrid but felt he was forced out after a series of rows with Fabio Capello over the Brazilian's weight.
The striker spent five seasons in the Spanish capital after arriving from Inter and went on to score over 100 goals for the club before returning to Italy with AC Milan.
During his time with Madrid he won two LaLiga titles but was unable to add to that tally as he departed during the 2006-07 campaign.
But he has revealed he was keen to stay with the club but problems with Capello brought it to an early conclusion.
"I didn't want to leave. I started to have a lot of problems with Capello. If I was 100 grams overweight, he would take me out of the team," Ronaldo told Fox Sports.
"I am tolerant, I want to understand other points of view. But with him, I just couldn't.
"I understand his position as the manager, but sometimes in football, 100 or 200 grams doesn't make the difference. It's about what you actually do, and he didn't see what I actually did, what I could contribute, as the be all and end all."
Ronaldo, the Ballon d'Or winner in 1997 and 2002 suggested namesake and fellow Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo should pip his rival, Barcelona's Lionel Messi, to collect the 2017 prize.
"This year, I would choose Cristiano Ronaldo as the winner of the Ballon D'or," Ronaldo added.
"For the last two years, he has been decisive. He was key in so many matches in the Champions League, he's in the final.
"Both of them are fantastic. I love Messi with the ball at his feet, he scores goals and does all the rest too. But Cristiano's numbers can't be ignored. It's a cruel comparison. Both of them deserve respect."
