"I wanted to be like him" - Brighton star admits he modeled his playstyle around Cristiano Ronaldo
Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Kaoru Mitoma recently admitted that he molded his playing style around that of Cristiano Ronaldo of whom he is a fan. Mitoma, a Japan international, is widely regarded as one of the most technical and gifted dribblers in the Premier League.
He is a key player for Brighton and has been in spectacular form in recent seasons. In a recent interview with the Premier League's official channel, Mitoma said (quotes as per Timeline CR& Twitter):
"When I was a little boy, I used to watch Ronaldo from Utd. He was a player who could both score & dribble & he's good at freekicks. I had the impression that he could do anything. I wanted to be like him."
Watch Mitoma's interview:
During his first Manchester United stint, Cristiano Ronaldo was widely regarded as one of the best dribblers in world football. Over the years, he has inspired many young talents across the globe. Hence, Mitoma idolizing him shouldn't come as a surprise.
Mitoma, 26, has made his mark in the Premier League with his performances for the Seagulls. The Japanese has so far scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists in 45 matches for Roberto De Zerbi's team. He has made four appearances this season, scoring once and setting up thre more goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo recently spoke about the level of the Saudi Pro League
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the doors for Europe-based players to move to the Saudi Pro League when he joined Al-Nassr as a free agent on December 31, 2022. Many household names have since completed moves to the Middle East.
Players like Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and more have been part of the league at this point in time. With the arrival of stars, the level of the league has also increased. Speaking on the same, Ronaldo said (via Record Portugal):
"It's normal to criticize, which league is not criticized? Where there are no problems and controversy? There are everywhere. Spain, Portugal... I already knew, I continue to say, everyone I thought he was crazy, the crazy guy isn't so crazy... It's now normal to play in the Arab league."
Cristiano Ronaldo has started his campaign in a stellar manner and has scored 12 goals and provided four assists in 10 matches across competitions this season.