Coach of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid for three seasons, from 2010 to 2013, José Mourinho returned to this collaboration with the Portuguese striker.
During their careers, Cristiano Ronaldo and José Mourinho had three clubs in common: Sporting, where the “Special One” was assistant from 1992 to 1994, Real Madrid and Manchester United. But they only worked together at the White House, for three seasons. Arriving in 2009, when the Merengue club was coached by Manuel Pellegrini, “CR7” saw his compatriot arrive at Santiago-Bernabeu the following summer.
An association which did not result in a Champions League but which allowed the Portuguese striker to become another player. More complete, more lethal. “I think Madrid, for him, was a little transition because for you he was a winger. Right winger, left winger, on the side, dribbling, attacking and beating others”remembers the “Mou” in an interview with Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel Five.
How Mourinho transformed Ronaldo
“In Madrid he became more of the goalscorer he was for the rest of his careerhe continues. In fact, the first time he played as a striker in a big match was between Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, where he scored an incredible goal, a header in extra time . That’s probably when people got the feeling that the animal could be a goalscorer and not just a pure winger. »
If the relationship between the two men has sometimes been tense, as is often the case between him and the stars, the Lusitanian manager claims to have had no difficulty managing the five-time Ballon d’Or. Quite simply because he had nothing to teach him! “You don’t need to give him motivation. Ambition, responsibilities, you can’t give him any. And you can’t give him any technique.”he said.
“Ronaldo? I don’t think we’re training him.”
“It’s just a matter of giving him some tactical adjustments and letting him be happyhe explains. In fact, I don’t think we’re training him. I didn’t need to teach him much. It’s just a matter of him being happy, and creating an environment from a tactical point of view, from the idea of football, in which the player can show his best side. » What some, like Erik ten Hag with the Red Devils, have not been able to do.
