cristianodaily reblogged
cristianodaily reblogged
Former United skipper Rio Ferdinand explains the ascent of a footballing android:
“We 100% thought Cristiano was going to be a world superstar – it was just a case of when and how quickly he was going to get there. World Player of the Year? There was never a doubt, even when he’d only just come to us from Sporting in 2003.“ … … “ He liked taking liberties when he first came; taking people on, making people look silly, doing skills, coming back to beat them again – Gary Neville was probably the butt of them, and Phil too. He would do that continuously.” … …” Sometimes it was about tough love – kick him, make him feel it, make him understand that sometimes you’ve got to release the ball at the right times.” … …” there was definitely that turning point where it became about goals and assists, and from then he became the game-changer. Rather than being that showman, he was deciding matches – big ones – for us on a regular basis. That’s when the maturity came and the penny dropped.” … …” He took Manchester United over the line a couple of times in big games. He does it when it matters – he scores in Champions League finals, he scores the penalties that need to be scored to win a game. You don’t become regarded as one of the best ever to play a sport without having the balls to step up in these situations.” … …” he’s a team player too. Someone who is a selfish individual in a team sport doesn’t win because he holds his team back from winning; he’s a negative energy in that team. Ronaldo has won too many trophies to be a selfish individual.” … …”Without him they (Portugal) wouldn’t have even got to the Euros, and then during that tournament there were times when if he wasn’t on that pitch they wouldn’t have gone any further. He’s got that drive and determination to drag teams over the line – I’ve been part of a team he’s done that with a couple of times. He’s got an inner belief that he’s the man to do it. He wants that responsibility.” … …”People love him, but there are people that hate him too. But they don’t understand that passion.” … …” I was happy for him when he scored the winning penalty in the Champions League final last year. He deserves it, because when you work hard you should be rewarded – and he’s someone who works harder than almost anybody.” … …” I’ve never seen a more professional athlete up close and personal. I’ve worked with hundreds of players and different athletes, and he’s by far the most diligent and professional of them all.”
READ MORE - Rio’s 2-pages laudatio is just beautiful.
👏 Fully deserved to be elected ⚽ Best Foreign Premier League Player Ever ⚽ 👏
1. Cristiano Ronaldo 2. Thierry Henry 3. Eric Cantona 4. Dennis Bergkamp 5. Didier Drogba
Source: fourfourtwo.com
Cristiano’s instagram story | 09.11.2016
Cristiano’s comment under Rio Ferdinand’s video on Instagram | 10.10.2016
Rio’s reply:
and the story goes on:
Cristiano commenting on another video from Rio:
Rio taking his revenge and making fun of Cristiano’s shoes
cristianodaily reblogged
Everyone in the country will be against him, but he will thrive off that hostility, and off their fear.
The French know Cristiano is the player capable of destroying their dream because he has produced magic moments in huge matches right through his career.
Part of the reason he is a superstar is because he is not fazed by the big occasion - quite the opposite in fact.
Superstars like him relish these situations - the pressure that goes with it brings the best out of him, when other players falter.
He was only 19 then (EURO 2004 final, so just a kid.
I think he is very aware this is his last opportunity to win something with his country and, knowing him like I do, that makes him even more dangerous. He will be so desperate not to miss out again.
Cristiano has produced great performances for Portugal when it matters before, for example his hat-trick against Sweden in the play-off for the 2014 World Cup. So France will know that it is not just in a Real Madrid or Manchester United shirt that he is capable of great things, especially because it was his moment of brilliance that helped decide Portugal’s semi-final against Wales.
He has always been amazing on the ball but even when he first joined United in 2003 he was great in the air too,.
Early in his career it (headers) was a part of his game that was quite undervalued but he always scored a lot of headers and, the way he does it, he is the closest thing in football to basketball legend Michael Jordan.
“The way he jumps and hangs in the air is the same as Michael Jordan and he has got the ability to stay up there, assess the situation and then put the ball where he wants to, with power.
I will always remember the header he scored for United away at Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals in April 2008. He more or less jumped on the edge of the box to meet a cross that Paul Scholes put over but he met the ball a good way inside the area. If you watch TV footage of that game, he just appears from nowhere and smashes it into the bottom corner. Just like his goal against Wales, it was an unbelievable jump and he generated incredible power. I was on the pitch that night, and it was amazing to see.
Cristiano’s heading ability will be a huge threat in the final
too, along with Nani - another former United team-mate of mine.
He was always well known for his brilliant runs forward but his game is not about that any more.
Before, he used to exert a lot of energy trying to take people on from deep areas, running at goal from 30 or 40 yards, or even further out.
Now, he is very clever in where he tries to receive the ball. It has to be in good positions and, when he gets it, he finds a yard of space and hits it - either a shot or a cross.
Part of the reason he has been able to reinvent himself is because of how hard he works - right from the start of his career, when we were together at Old Trafford, he was totally committed to improving every part of his game.
But to be able to re-evaluate his game and change it is also down to his football intelligence. Clearly he is clever - you do not score 50 goals a season, six seasons running, for Real Madrid if you are not.
But his extra intelligence has allowed him to evolve as a player, understand his body, where it can take him and how often.
He has become a much more efficient player, but is still an extremely effective one.
If Ronaldo wins the European Championship, it will be massive for him.
I don’t think it will give him the edge over Messi in terms of who deserves the accolade of the best in the world, but it is a huge achievement.
And it will matter to both of them, because there is a definite battle between them in their own minds about who has done what for club and country.
It is far from a given that Ronaldo will manage it, of course. France are looking very good and they have a game-changer in Antoine Griezmann.
Even if Ronaldo is at his best, the final is a difficult task for them and I think they are going to have to play ugly, like they have done all the way through the tournament, to win.
So I am not really bothered about the result, I just want to see a good game. I would love to see Ronaldo and Griezmann perform to their potential and finish off this tournament on a high note.
I have known him a long time and I would love to see him do it, but it is awkward for me because I have friends in both camps - Nani and Cristiano for Portugal, and Paul Pogba and Patrice Evra for France.
Source: bbc.com
cristianodaily reblogged
cristianodaily reblogged
When you are as committed to working as hard as Cristiano does to do what he does year in year out at the highest level you deserve some fortune/luck.
He didn’t have his finest 120mins in a Real Madrid shirt but he got the fortune to be the man with the opportunity to score the winning penalty.
I was always told as a kid ‘you work hard, you get lucky!’
Lucky is to get the opportunity to take the winning pen, after that it’s down to nerve, technique & composure …game won!
- Rio Ferdinand
Watch the video in the link: Rio’s reaction to Cristiano’s penalty winner is priceless!
“Go on son! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah! He deserves that! “
(via all-about-cr7)
Source: instagram.com
cristianodaily reblogged
ffsunited-deactivated20210417
can he not
cristianodaily reblogged
habibihector
#WHOSYOURDADDY
cristianodaily reblogged
rio, are you hinting at something?