“Mentally, he is unbeatable” - Ex-Portugal star reflects on young Cristiano Ronaldo setting challenge for teammates in shower after training
Former Portugal defender Jose Fonte opened up about playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and lauded the attacker's mentality. He said Ronaldo was determined to be the best since their teenage years playing together at Sporting CP.
In his BBC Sport column, Fonte stated that Ronaldo's talent was identified very quickly in age-group football. However, he believed the main reason for the Portuguese icon's success was his hunger to win. He wrote:
"I've known Cristiano [Ronaldo] a long time, since we were together as young teenagers at Sporting, and he always showed great desire to be the best. He was playing above his age group so he was with me in the Under-17 team when he was 16. Back then he was already an immense talent, and everyone at Sporting recognised there was something special there. As well as his ability, he always had this fantastic mentality. I would see him many times in the gym after training, trying to get stronger and quicker when everyone else had gone home."
"He has always wanted to win, too. He was so competitive then he would say to us that he would do more push-ups than anyone else in the shower after training, and of course he would go and do it as well. That drive is part of him, and it's why he is still here now at Euro 2024 with Portugal at the age of 39. He is an animal who wants to keep on winning and winning. Not only is he the best, he wants to prove it as well," he continued.
"To have that mindset to keep pushing himself so hard is incredible because it takes immense work to stay at his level, the very top, for so many years like he has. That is Cristiano, though. Mentally, he is unbeatable. It is why he has won so much and done so much, and out of everything that makes him the player and person he is, I would say it is his greatest strength," he added.
Cristiano Ronaldo played for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus in Europe before moving to Saudi Arabia, where he joined Al Nassr. He won the UEFA Champions League five times (four with Real Madrid and once with Manchester United), while also winning the Ballon d'or on five occasions.
Jose Fonte and Cristiano Ronaldo have played together for club and country
Jose Fonte had a solid career, but obviously not as illustrious as Cristiano Ronaldo. His best came for Southampton and Lille, while his time with the national side was limited.
He played youth football with Ronaldo at Sporting CP. But they did not play senior football together at any club. They have played 40 matches together for the Portugal national side, losing just six.
Fonte has also assisted Cristiano Ronaldo twice, both in the World Cup qualifiers of the 2016/17 season. The first came in a 6-0 win over Andorra and the other against Latvia in a 3-0 win.