“I am a complete player, but there are always things I can perfect” - Cristiano Ronaldo makes honest admission about ‘losing abilities’ with age
Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that he's losing his abilities due to age but is still fighting to get better as a player. He believes that it's key to adapt as you age and that it helps bring longevity to his career.
Speaking to UEFA's website ahead of EURO 2024, Ronaldo said that he's still looking to get better as a player. He added that there are skills he has perfected as he has gotten older and that he has become a 'complete player':
"Year after year, we're always trying to improve certain things. There's always room for improvement. I think I am a complete player, but there are always things I can perfect. And, with age, there are things we weren't so good at in the past, and we start losing some abilities, so it's important to try and adapt."
He added:
"That's the key word. If a player wants to have longevity, they need to have a strong adaptability and the characteristics for that adaptation. That's what I tried to do. It's no coincidence that I have been playing for 20 years at the highest level, and maintaining that performance is very hard. Only with a lot of dedication and hard work can we achieve those numbers."
Cristiano Ronaldo has played for over 20 years at the top level since making his debut for Sporting CP. He made his first senior appearance for the Portuguese club in September 2002 and has notched 759 goals in his club career and added another 130 with the national side.
Cristiano Ronaldo confident about Portugal's chances at EURO 2024
Cristiano Ronaldo has backed Portugal to do well at EURO 2024 this summer. He believes that the squad is talented and has set its sights on winning the trophy in Germany, telling UEFA's website:
"I firmly believe that this team will bring a lot of joy to the Portuguese fans, beginning with this EURO.
"However, in my opinion, the best generation of players are always those who win (trophies). I hope this national team will win because it's an incredibly talented squad."
Cristiano Ronaldo ended his wait for an onternational trophy by winning EURO 2016. He got injured in the final against France and was taken off early but played a key role in cheering his side on in the extra time triumph.