Fifteen years after facing him with Turkey, during Euro 2008, Nihat Kahveci still remembers very well his only meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo.
There is not a single “off” day for Cristiano Ronaldo. While the Saudi Arabian championship is currently on hiatus due to the Asian Nations Cup, the Portuguese striker is spending quality time with his family between two intensive sports sessions. This is undoubtedly where the secret of his incredible longevity lies, he who will celebrate his 39th birthday on February 5.
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This work ethic, which he has had since his young years as a footballer, has allowed “CR7”, the world’s top scorer in 2023, to withstand time and retain all his explosiveness. Physical qualities which marked the minds of several of his opponents during his career, starting with Nihat Kahveci, a former striker who played for Besiktas, Real Sociedad and Villarreal.
Now aged 44, the former Turkish international (69 caps, 19 goals) remembers very well the only time he crossed paths with the five-time Ballon d’Or. It was during the group stage of Euro 2008, and Portugal won 2-0. “I was a fast player. On this subject, I would not be modest”he says in an interview relayed by the Gio CR7 account on X (formerly Twitter).
” VSThis guy had 100 extra horsepower”
“My teammates and my coaches always told me that and I always believed in it, until the day I faced ‘CR7’he continues, before returning to a specific action from this meeting, which has remained in his memory. There was a corner, I was ready to get the ball in case it came into the box, but the goalkeeper caught it first, and he sent it to Cristiano. » What happens next is mind-blowing.
“At that moment, we’re sprinting together, after 10 meters we’re together, after 20 meters still together, and I said to myself: ‘F…, I’m really fast!’. And the guy pressed ‘Sport’ mode, and suddenly he flew away. After that day, I told everyone to never say I was fast again, because this guy had 100 more horsepower. » Impressive.
Former Turkish player Nihat Kahveci’s anecdote about Cristiano Ronaldo’s extraordinary speed:
“I was a fast player. On this subject, I would not be modest. My teammates and my coaches always told me that, and I always believed it until the day I… pic.twitter.com/HQ7V186wva
— Gio CR7 (@ArobaseGiovanny) January 9, 2024
