“They are people who talk to you, and you have to take notes” – Cristiano Ronaldo among 3 players who inspired him, admits Real Madrid star
Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal recently hailed the impact of Cristiano Ronaldo during their stint together at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Carvajal and Ronaldo played together from 2013-14 to 2017-18 before the latter left for Juventus. During this period, Los Blancos enjoyed tremendous success, especially in the UEFA Champions League.
After winning their much-awaited La Decima in 2013-14, the Madrid giants won an unprecedented three-peat between 2015-16 and 2017-18. They also won the 2016-17 La Liga and many other titles during this period.
Needless to say, Ronaldo played a significant role, scoring 249 goals and 75 assists in 239 games across competitions. Carvajal was also key, bagging four goals and 32 assists in exactly 200 games across competitions. Together, the duo played 166 games, making 15 joint goal contributions.
On the three players who have had the most impact on his development, Carvajal took the names of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, and Luka Modric (as per GOAL).
"Cristiano, Sergio Ramos, and, it's very difficult, but Luka Modric," Carvajal said. "They are people who talk to you and you have to take notes. You'd come on a trip and you'd see Cristiano going into the pool of cold water. Sergio training and Luka in the gym."
Among the aforementioned trio, only Modric is still at the club, having arrived at Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2012.
How has Cristiano Ronaldo's former teammate Dani Carvajal fared at Real Madrid?
Dani Carvajal has evolved into one of the finest right-backs in the game since arriving at Real Madrid almost a decade ago. The 31-year-old has made 379 appearances across competitions, scoring seven times and providing 60 assists.
Last season, he appeared 45 times across competitions for Carlo Ancelotti's side, contributing five assists. He has had one goal contribution in four league games this season - making one assist - as Madrid find themselves top of the pile.
As announced by the club on their website in July 2021, the Spain international extended his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu till the 2024-25 season. Carvajal is currently on duty with Spain in UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifyers.