Now that Cristiano Ronaldo has moved to Al-Nassr it is appropriate to assess how he has been so consistent for such a long time. The Portuguese legend made his first appearance in professional football back in 2002. In the present day, he still plays which is a testament to his longevity. But how did he do it, let’s go through some of the reasons.
Why Cristiano Ronaldo Has Been So Successful Throughout His Career
Cristiano Ronaldo: One of the Most Dedicated Sportsmen in the World
Ronaldo is one of the most dedicated athletes in the world and has put himself through rigorous exercise to remain a top player. He is naturally slim. You can see in his early years, he was very skinny, and despite having enormous potential, coaches were worried whether he could handle the game from a physical standpoint. Nevertheless, he made it as a professional and lit up the Premier League with his ostentatious performances. The only thing that Portuguese youngster lacked in his game was the end product.
His senior colleagues at Old Trafford recognised his talents but demanded an end product from him. A famous training ground spat occurred in which striker Ruud van Nistelrooy was fed up with the youngster’s stepovers instead of crossing the ball. Ronaldo soon changed his style of play for the team’s sake, and it was then that the club had monumental success. They won the Premier League three times on the bounce and won the Champions League in 2008. This started in 2006 as he gained weight and muscle over the summer to be an incredible athlete. Since then he hasn’t stopped and trains 5 days a week for 3–4 hours, doing a range of exercises.
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A Healthy Diet
Although you can train for decades you need to eat healthily, and it appears no one does it better than Ronaldo. His father Jose Dinis Aveiro was an alcoholic, which was his coping mechanism for the war in Angola. Sometimes when a father is an alcoholic a child is more likely to fall into drinking. In contrast, some children never touch a drop because of it, Ronaldo is in the latter category. He doesn’t drink for that reason and for his health. You cannot be the greatest player of all time and be an alcoholic – it is just not possible.
The ex-Real Madrid and Manchester United attacker also doesn’t drink soda. While he was a teenager at Manchester United, he got Coca-Cola from the canteen. Ryan Giggs, an experienced player, pushed him against the wall and told him “Don’t ever do that again.” Since that day the legendary attacker has cut out soda and general non-nutritious foods from his diet.
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Mentality
Some people admire his mentality others find his attitude arrogant. But it’s indisputable that this attitude has helped him remain at the top level for a long time. Ronaldo in his heart believes he is the best. Whether he is or not doesn’t matter as it is all about confidence. He needed that belief going to a historic club like Manchester United while not knowing English must have been nerve-racking.
Therefore, he could have flopped if he was unsure of himself. His confidence probably comes from his immense work ethic. How can you be confident about an exam where you haven’t done one ounce of revision? But his mentality and constant self-assurance have been nothing but beneficial especially when he is in a never-ending battle with Lionel Messi. That ruthless examination of him in comparison to another player can destroy your confidence so his incredible mentality has helped him during his 21-year career.
Family
There is no doubt that his biggest supporters are his family. Obviously, Ronaldo’s family has made sacrifices for him but now he has five children, and his partner Georgina Rodriguez is the rock and support in his life. This support is vital for a player to remain at the top for as long as he has. Of course, his mother had always been there and is his biggest supporter. When Ronaldo’s son passed away it was clear that he struggled because of it and who wouldn’t? It can never be overstated how important his family is to his consistency and success.
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Lionel Messi
The rivalry with Messi started in 2008 when Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or and the Argentine finished runners-up. Since then, it is hard to argue that they have not pushed each other to heights not seen before. It is undeniable that Ronaldo has been so consistent, partly due to being in a never-ending competition with Messi.
