Al Nassr coach Luis Castro recently stated that Cristiano Ronaldo was not in a happy space before the former joined Al Nassr. He claimed that the footballer was going through a lot – on and off the field – and that resulted in his form dropping.
Speaking in an interview with RECORD, Castro claimed that his main aim was getting Ronaldo his mental peace back as it was vital for his form to get better. He added that the former Real Madrid star was quick to respond in training and was back smiling soon. He said:
“I often say that when your face doesn’t laugh, your feet don’t laugh either. Cristiano was in a moment of some sadness, due to some events in his personal and professional life. There was this intention of giving him back his joy, through training, games. This was achieved. He responded very naturally to what was asked of him and today he is once again a world reference, as he always was. For what he plays and for who he is, on and off the field.”
Castro went on to claim that it was also important for Ronaldo to regain his form as he was the captain of Al Nassr. He added that the teammates were always looking up to him and they were willing to give their best every time the Portuguese star was with them. He said:
“The team captain must be a reference in any dressing room in the world. And when the captain is the best player in the world, his presence and leadership become even stronger. He is a very balanced person. He balances himself and his teammates. He is an example of rigor, discipline and ambition, in short, everything a player should have. He is a reference for all of them. You don’t notice any difference. Cristiano is one of them. We have a big family. Everyone respects each other. When it comes to laugh, everyone laughs When they are sad, everyone is. Everyone is involved in a single feeling at every moment of the season.”
Cristiano Ronaldo has played 25 matches in all competitions under Luis Castro at Al Nassr. He has scored 24 goals and assisted 11 times in those games.
Cristiano Ronaldo completes one year at Al Nassr
Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr at the end of December 2022 after rejecting offers from around the world. The forward was a free agent after his contract at Manchester United was terminated in November of the year.
The Portuguese star has scored 38 goals in 44 matches for Al Nassr in all competitions. He has added 13 assists to his name as well, and helped them win the Arab Club Champions Cup in the summer.
Reports suggest Cristiano Ronaldo is open to penning a new deal at the club and extending his stay in the Middle East.
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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava