Cristiano Ronaldo is a professional football player who plays for Portugal National Team and Saudi Club Al-Nassr. He is known for his goal scoring abilities, winning Ballon d’Or titles, countless trophies, and goals. This boy from Madeira, a small island in Portugal, has come a long way in his career. He is still not retired at the age of 39. He is still demanding from himself. Also famous by name “CR7 “is GOAT of football.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s football career is the stuff of legends. With five Ballon d’Or titles, countless trophies, and over 800 career goals, he has etched his name among the greatest to ever play the game. But as Ronaldo entered the end of his career, a different narrative began to unfold — a story of a man whose relentless pursuit of perfection became his biggest challenge.
The Relentless Drive
Throughout his career, Ronaldo was known for his unmatched work ethic, dedication, and desire to be the best. His training regimen was famously intense, often putting in extra hours to perfect his skills. Ronaldo wasn’t just competing against his peers; he was competing against his own lofty standards. This drive fueled his rise from a skinny teenager at Sporting CP to a global icon at Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.
Anecdote about his competitiveness
Once, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rio Ferdinand were playing table tennis and Rio beat him, we all screamed and Ronaldo got upset. He sent his cousin to buy a table tennis. Practicing for 2 weeks, he came back to play Ferdinand and he beat him in front of everyone. That’s Cristiano.
– Patrice Evra, Former French and Manchester United Player
At Real Madrid, Ronaldo reached the pinnacle of his career, breaking record after record. His time in Madrid was characterized by his insatiable hunger for goals. He was the epitome of a perfectionist, always striving to push past his limits. He won Champions League, LaLiga, and other Trophies. His “SIU” celebrations is everywhere. He became a synonym to football idol.
He touched everyone with his performances and celebrations. His goals in 2018 champions league semi-final against Juventus proved his “GOAT-Greatest of ALL Times” name. Juventus Goalkeeper Buffon (best goalkeeper in the world) was awestruck and couldn´t do anything to save those goal. But who knew, they became teammates next year to write a new chapter.
The Transition to Juventus
When Ronaldo joined Juventus in 2018 at the age of 33, many wondered how long he could maintain his elite level. But Ronaldo, ever the perfectionist, defied expectations. He continued to score goals and win titles, although the cracks were beginning to show. As he aged, his game had to evolve; the explosive pace that once defined him started to wane, and he began to rely more on his positioning and experience. His gravity defying jump to head a ball into a net at Juventus will be remembered forever. He jumped 2.56m off the ground to head that ball. Everyone is still awed by his jump and goal.
However, even as his physical abilities began to decline, Ronaldo’s expectations for himself did not. He still demanded to be the focal point of the team. His desire to maintain his status as the best led to moments of visible frustration.
Critiano Ronaldo´s Return to Manchester United
In 2021, Ronaldo made an emotional return to Manchester United, the club where he first became a global superstar. His return was met with excitement and anticipation, but also with the question of whether he could still perform at the highest level in the Premier League, now well into his 30s.
Ronaldo’s second stint at United was marked by moments of brilliance but also by a growing sense of frustration. The team’s inconsistent performances weighed heavily on him. His goalscoring prowess remained, but the team was no longer built around him. Ronaldo’s frustration became more evident, with his body language on the pitch often revealing his dissatisfaction with himself and his teammates. He has difficult time with manager Erik Ten Hag and his interview with Piers Morgan put an end to his future at Man United.
Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Saudi Club Al-Nassar
Õn December 31st, 2022, Saudi Professional League (SPL) club Al Nassr announced on social media that they had signed Cristiano Ronaldo on a two-and-a-half-year contract, reportedly worth more than $200m a year. While Ronaldo’s first season didn’t yield trophies, his goal-scoring prowess was undeniable. He finished the campaign as the league’s top scorer, showcasing his ability to perform at the highest level even in a new environment. The only trophy Cristiano Ronaldo has won with Al-Nassr is the Arab Club Champions Cup, where his team defeated Al-Hilal 2-1 in the final. He still couldn´t win the league with Al-Nassar.
Cristiano Ronaldo at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024
His performance at both the Euros wasn´t something liked by his fan and teammates. In 2020 Euro, he was even benched. His teammates no more like him. Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 were unsuccessful campaign for Portugal.
The Downside of Perfectionism
As Ronaldo approached the final years of his career, his perfectionism began to take a toll. His desire to always be the best, to always meet the impossibly high standards he set for himself, became a burden. The reality of aging, of not being able to do what he once did so effortlessly, was something Ronaldo struggled to accept.
This inner conflict was most apparent in his reaction to setbacks. Ronaldo became increasingly hard on himself, often showing visible frustration during matches, sometimes even anger. He wanted to be the hero every time, to prove that he was still the best, even when his body couldn’t always keep up with his mind.
His reaction to being substituted or benched was telling. Ronaldo’s pride and ego, once assets that drove him to greatness, began to work against him. He found it difficult to accept that he was no longer the player he once was, and this led to tensions with coaches and teammates who saw his declining physical capabilities and tried to manage them accordingly.
The Price of Relentlessness
Ronaldo’s story is a testament to the double-edged sword of perfectionism. It was this relentless drive that made him one of the greatest footballers of all time, but it also became a source of inner turmoil as his career neared its end. His inability to accept decline, to adjust his expectations of himself, and to gracefully transition into a new role within the team, all stemmed from the same desire that fueled his success.
In the end, Ronaldo’s greatest challenge was not his opponents, but himself. His story highlights the difficulty that even the greatest athletes face in coming to terms with the inevitable passage of time. The same traits that brought him to the top—the relentless pursuit of perfection, the insatiable hunger for success—made it all the harder for him to let go.
Legacy Beyond Perfection
While Ronaldo’s perfectionism may have caused him inner conflict at the end of his career, it’s also what made him a global icon. His dedication to his craft, his unyielding standards, and his refusal to settle for anything less than the best are what made him Cristiano Ronaldo. His story serves as both an inspiration and a cautionary tale—reminding us that even the greatest must eventually come to terms with their own limitations, and that sometimes, the hardest battle is the one within.