What Ronaldo Used To Do At The Back Of Carrington Training Complex To Become ‘The Best’
REUTERS/Rafael Marchante
Former Man United fitness coach Walter Di Salvio has reportedly revealed the ‘extra exercises’ which Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo did post training at United’s Carrington Training Complex to achieve his current stature.
This football generation is divided into two quite distinct elements that go by the names of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and though the former disseminates a ‘magical’ aura with his dazzling footwork, the latter has made a name for himself with levels of dedication and hard work that go beyond the reach of an ordinary individual.
However, when it comes to deciding who amongst the two stars is better, a wave of fans from both sides emerges to undermine the other, and somehow, Ronaldo always ends up being outranked by the Argentine magician. But according to the report by Paul Condo from Independent, the Portuguese winger is not ‘just’ a great player, as his constant need to outgrow himself has turned him into a ‘beast’.
Condo wrote: “If Messi is Mozart, Ronaldo is no Salieri; he is much more than that. Not enough, however, to convince people that there is a competition for the world’s best player: if you ask 100 supporters (neutral fans, not of one or the other) which of the two is better, it would be surprising if the ratio was less than 80:20.
“The real greatness of Ronaldo is in never having given up when faced with such an immovable obstacle (he has only won two La Liga titles in eight seasons at Real, compared to his rival’s five). There is something elusive in the Portuguese’s determination to improve day after day, but that is exactly what makes him a great champion.”
REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Condo further wrote about the chat he once had with CR7’s fitness coach, Walter Di Salvio, on how the 32-year-old trained. Salvio revealed the ‘extra’ training regime that Ronaldo followed to always be on top of his game, and more importantly be ‘the best’ in the world.
“Walter Di Salvio, his fitness coach at Manchester United (for years he secretly flew him and his treatment table out to Madrid, because the player thought what the Real staff were prescribing him was insufficient) once told me about the extra exercises – not his intense workout routines – Cristiano did after training at Carrington, United’s training ground.
“While his team-mates went in for their showers, he went out to the back of the complex, where it borders on a patch of woodland, so that he could practice his ball control in difficult conditions. In the woodland undergrowth the terrain was very uneven, full of exposed tree roots, and Ronaldo would kick the ball hard into that area and chase after it, trying to bring the unpredictable bounces under control.”
Written by Sidharth Jindal 
Sports fanatic with a passion for writing (predominantly football) and “Wants to live life to its fullest.” Writes about the Premier League on his personal blog.