Cristiano Ronaldo will not want to stop without a World Cup win that allows him to emulate eternal rival Lionel Messi, the Portuguese’s former Manchester United team-mate Kleberson has told GOAL.
Evergreen Ronaldo chasing down more major honours
Ronaldo has already passed his 40th birthday and signed a contract extension with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr that will take him to the summer of 2027. He has been showing no sign of slowing down and is expected to grace another major international tournament this summer.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner remains captain of his country, with a record-setting tally of 143 goals to his name, and is as hungry as ever for tangible success. He saw Messi conquer the world with Argentina in 2022 and will be determined to ensure that he does not bow out without a similar entry being made on his glittering CV.
Will Ronaldo emulate Messi with World Cup win?
Quizzed on how desperate Ronaldo will be to capture a global crown, 2002 World Cup winner Kleberson – speaking in association with BetVictor Online Casino – told GOAL: “Inside of him he probably feels ‘gosh, I have to win the World Cup, I can’t finish my career like this’.
“He has to work hard. It’s not just him, it’s other players. Neymar also is probably thinking ‘Messi has a World Cup, I don’t’. [Erling] Haaland as nicely, he won’t get a World Cup. It’s inside gamers, inside these prime gamers.
“Take a look at Adriano – he’s a giant identify in Brazil, in Italy he performed at an incredible degree, however he hasn’t gained the World Cup. The World Cup is usually honest, generally unfair. I imagine these guys take a look at me and suppose ‘oh my gosh, I can’t imagine Kleberson has a World Cup and I haven’t!’ I don’t have 5 Ballons’ d’Or, however I’ve gained the World Cup!”
Rise to stardom: Means was clear from first day at Man Utd
Kleberson acquired to witness Ronaldo’s preliminary rise in direction of superstardom at shut quarters when becoming a member of Premier League giants United in the identical summer time of 2003. Requested if it was clear again then what CR7 would develop into, the ex-Brazil worldwide mentioned: “It’s all all the way down to him. We knew that he was an excellent participant. You could possibly see that the child was actually good – nice with the ball, good persona.
“However to take a look at him and be like ‘5 Ballons d’Or, performs in finals, wins all the pieces’… he has proved himself over a protracted interval. It’s not like one or two seasons. If you happen to take my profession, I had my finest moments between 2000 and 2003, then I acquired my damage at Man United. I had nice moments, performed at an excellent degree with good gamers. Then I acquired unfortunate with accidents and didn’t get time to get again to that degree till about 2008 to 2010. Then it went down once more.
“Cristiano continues to be the identical. He’s nonetheless getting titles and trophies. I’m so glad to have been in a position to work with him to start with as a result of I’m comfortable to see how he has grown as a person, together with his household – he’s taken care of his mum, his sister. He has an incredible story in soccer.”
Nonetheless going at 50: How lengthy will Ronaldo play for?
That fairytale should have a number of extra chapters to be written, with Ronaldo providing no indication that imminent retirement is in his ideas. He’s being tipped by some to play on to Euro 2028 and past.
Requested if Ronaldo may proceed in direction of the age of fifty, Kleberson mentioned: “With this child, I can’t rule something out! I met him when he was 17/18 years outdated, in 2003. We talked quite a bit as a result of we wished to talk Portuguese. We may see the issues that he wished in his life, and he hasn’t modified that. He’s nonetheless the identical.
“If there’s something that Cristiano Ronaldo has, it’s psychological energy. His mentality is so highly effective. Then he takes care of himself quite a bit – his physique, the best way he performs.
“While you watch him now, he’s not like Cristiano Ronaldo of years in the past, however he nonetheless has an affect. We are able to say ‘it’s the Saudi league, it’s not an incredible league’, however you possibly can see that he performs at an excellent degree. He’s one that would transfer to MLS sooner or later. If he desires to play at 50, he can do it! He’s in nice form.”
New targets: How Ronaldo retains aggressive fireplace burning
Ronaldo is at present chasing down 1,000 profession objectives, with that exceptional milestone very a lot inside attain. He has additionally expressed a want to play alongside his son Cristiano Jr at some stage, with it vital for a participant of his calibre to proceed setting targets that maintain his aggressive fireplace burning after already reaching a lot.
