Cristiano Ronaldo’s former head coach has offered insight into the legendary forward’s mentality and shared why he believes the Portuguese captain could fire his national team to glory in next summer’s World Cup. Hugo Oliveira added that Ronaldo is still desperate to add to his ceaseless goal tally, and his hunger could well see him surpass his 1,000 career goals target.
Ronaldo to play sixth World Cup
Oliveira worked with the Portuguese captain during the qualification phase for the 2010 World Cup and was able to see how, even then, he possessed the mentality to become a footballing great. Ronaldo was 25 when Oliveira knew him best, but the competitive spirit has always been deep inside the forward, who went on to win five Champions League titles and a European Championship, amongst a swathe of domestic titles.
The one trophy that has eluded Ronaldo in his almost perfect career is the World Cup. The 40-year-old will likely have one last shot at lifting the golden trophy at next year’s tournament held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and has spoken frequently of his desire to complete his cabinet of silverware.
The tournament will mark Ronaldo’s sixth World Cup, with the Al-Nassr forward still firing on all cylinders in qualifying. As well as breaking yet another record by becoming the player with the most World Cup qualifiers goals in history, Ronaldo has already helped his nation qualify for the tournament with games to spare.
The continued success of Ronaldo is testament to his mindset, and Oliveira believes the legendary number seven is still desperate for more.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportOliveira lifts lid on Ronaldo's mindset
Asked by why he believes Ronaldo is still performing at a high level at 40, Oliveira explained: “Because he’s still starving. He’s still starving. He’s hungry.
“He was a young lad, and now he’s the same. That mindset can be contagious to the Portuguese national team. Maybe his last World Cup could be an amazing way for him to finalise international Portuguese games.”
Portugal will possess one of the strongest squads in the competition and have depth in almost every position. The former coach believes that his nation has as good a chance as any and should be fighting for the title.
“I think we have a generation that has to fight for the competition. We are one of the top five national teams that will fight to win the competition,” he said.
The evolution of Ronaldo
Aside from the World Cup, the Al-Nassr forward is also chasing a huge milestone. The aim of reaching 1,000 career goals is one Ronaldo is unlikely to give up on and even as he ages, the striker has adapted his game in order to get the most out of his lethal abilities.
Ronaldo has changed throughout his career, beginning as a tricky winger at Sporting CP he developed into the best player in the world at Manchester United, using his raw pace and skill to complement his developing finishing ability.
At Real Madrid, he typically played on the left of the Los Blancos attack alongside Karim Benzema and the likes of Gareth Bale and Angel Di Maria. In his prime years, he maintained a high level of pace and was capable of finding the back of the net from impossible areas, winning the Ballon d’Or three years running from 2015 to 2017.
As he got older, Ronaldo converted to a more classic centre-forward and, having lost a yard of pace, relied on his shooting and aerial prowess to get him goals. Spells at Juventus, United, and Al-Nassr have all brought goals and yet more records as he continues to shine.
Getty ImagesThe World Cup dream remains
The World Cup remains the missing piece of the puzzle for Ronaldo. Although, at times, he has played down his desperation to win the tournament, he will be doing all he can to lift the trophy next year. Portugal have two World Cup qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and Armenia to come next week as the nation looks to demonstrate their credentials to the world.