One of the greatest coaches of all time made a surprising confession about the striker, whom he managed during his career.
Having played in the 5 major European championships, Carlo Ancelotti can draw on an exceptional experience at the highest level. From AC Milan to Real Madrid, via Juventus Turin, Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich and Naples, the Italian technician has managed some of the greatest players of the last 3 decades. These include Cristiano Ronaldo, the Brazilian Ronaldo, Zinédine Zidane, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Didier Drogba, Andrei Shevchenko, Andrea Pirlo, Kaka and Gareth Bale.
If we had to name a virtuoso in this caste of artists, Luiz Nazario de Lima – alias Ronaldo, first of his name – would take the prize. A formidable combination of technique, speed and power, the Brazilian center forward is considered by many observers to be the best number 9 of all time. An ultimate, self-sufficient striker, capable of creating chances on his own by mastering all aspects of the position.
“What do you want me to do, score or run?” »
However, there is one area where Ronaldo was not the best student, and that is healthy living. In his approach to his profession, the Brazilian has often been singled out for his propensity to let himself go during periods of leave. When he was managed by Ancelotti in Milan, R9 had even reached the symbolic bar of 100 kg according to his trainer. “ When I was at Milan we signed Ronaldo. He weighed 100 kg and before the first match, I told him that he couldn’t play like that, and that he had to lose weight. He said, “What do you want me to do, score or run?” He played and he didn’t run, but he scored two goals“. A tasty anecdote, told by Ancelotti a few years ago, which says a lot about the Brazilian’s ease.
