Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly has an enduring influence on the way Real Madrid’s stars go about their business on the training pitch.
So devoted are the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. to following his example that it has been dubbed the ‘Ronaldo method’ in one report.
Ronaldo left the Santiago Bernabeu in 2018 for Juventus in a £88million deal but his imprint is still evident at the club where he won four Ballons d’Or and Champions League titles.
Current boss Carlo Ancelotti was in charge from 2013 to 2015 as well so perhaps it is only natural that some scent from the Ronaldo era still lingers.
Players have been taking an intensive approach to pre-season as inspired by Ronaldo’s summer fitness regime, according to AS.
Real Madrid’s stars are reportedly inspired by the professional approach he took at the club
Ronaldo left Los Blancos in 2018 but the ‘Ronaldo method’ still drives their pre-season
The ‘Ronaldo method’ filters into their professionalism in training, good nutrition, and emphasis on rest.
As per AS, the less regular players at Madrid ‘have the mentality of always being available’ and therefore maintain their professionalism constantly.
To be honest, all of this does just sound like the standards you would expect from a world-leading football club, but take it from the stars themselves.
Speaking of Ronaldo’s influence, Endrick told A Bola: ‘He’s my biggest idol, a player who broke all records by being an exemplary, dedicated player.
‘He is more than an athlete, he is a guy that everyone should have as an example, because no matter the moment, he wants to be the best, he wants to win titles, he wants to achieve milestones, in addition to being a person who shows humility.
‘He is a reference for any player who wants to go further in their career.’
At his unveiling Endrick said: ‘I hadn’t planned it, I’ve loved Real Madrid since I was little. Cristiano Ronaldo entered my life… It was because of him that I came to Madrid in his day!’
Endrick said that it was because of Ronaldo that he wanted to join Real Madrid since childhood
Kylian Mbappe’s unveiling had an uncanny number of similarities to Ronaldo’s own in 2009
Players such as Vinicius Jr. see Ronaldo as a ‘reference’ for how to approach training and care
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe’s presentation as a Real Madrid player bore striking similarities to Ronaldo’s own in 2009, with fans speculating he had watched it for inspiration.
For the likes of Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Arda Guler, ‘Cristiano’s Madrid is a reference’ for how to dominate football, AS claims.
