Cristiano Ronaldo will not want to stop without a World Cup win that allows him to emulate eternal rival Lionel Messi, the Portuguese’s former Manchester United team-mate Kleberson has told GOAL.
Evergreen Ronaldo chasing down more major honours
Ronaldo has already passed his 40th birthday and signed a contract extension with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr that will take him to the summer of 2027. He has been showing no sign of slowing down and is expected to grace another major international tournament this summer.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner remains captain of his country, with a record-setting tally of 143 goals to his name, and is as hungry as ever for tangible success. He saw Messi conquer the world with Argentina in 2022 and will be determined to ensure that he does not bow out without a similar entry being made on his glittering CV.
Will Ronaldo emulate Messi with World Cup win?
Quizzed on how desperate Ronaldo will be to capture a global crown, 2002 World Cup winner Kleberson – speaking in association with BetVictor Online Casino – told GOAL: “Inside of him he probably feels ‘gosh, I have to win the World Cup, I can’t finish my career like this’.
“He has to work hard. It’s not just him, it’s other players. Neymar also is probably thinking ‘Messi has a World Cup, I don’t’. [Erling] Haaland as effectively, he won’t get a World Cup. It’s inside gamers, inside these high gamers.
“Take a look at Adriano – he’s an enormous identify in Brazil, in Italy he performed at an amazing degree, however he hasn’t gained the World Cup. The World Cup is typically honest, typically unfair. I consider these guys have a look at me and suppose ‘oh my gosh, I can’t consider Kleberson has a World Cup and I haven’t!’ I don’t have 5 Ballons’ d’Or, however I’ve gained the World Cup!”
Rise to stardom: Capacity was clear from first day at Man Utd
Kleberson received to witness Ronaldo’s preliminary rise in direction of superstardom at shut quarters when becoming a member of Premier League giants United in the identical summer time of 2003. Requested if it was clear again then what CR7 would turn out to be, the ex-Brazil worldwide stated: “It’s all right down to him. We knew that he was participant. You may see that the child was actually good – nice with the ball, good character.
“However to have a look at him and be like ‘5 Ballons d’Or, performs in finals, wins the whole lot’… he has proved himself over an extended interval. It’s not like one or two seasons. In case you take my profession, I had my greatest moments between 2000 and 2003, then I received my damage at Man United. I had nice moments, performed at degree with good gamers. Then I received unfortunate with accidents and didn’t get time to get again to that degree till about 2008 to 2010. Then it went down once more.
“Cristiano continues to be the identical. He’s nonetheless getting titles and trophies. I’m so glad to have been in a position to work with him at first as a result of I’m comfortable to see how he has grown as a person, together with his household – he’s taken care of his mum, his sister. He has an amazing story in soccer.”
Nonetheless going at 50: How lengthy will Ronaldo play for?
That fairytale should have a number of extra chapters to be written, with Ronaldo providing no indication that imminent retirement is in his ideas. He’s being tipped by some to play on to Euro 2028 and past.
Requested if Ronaldo might proceed in direction of the age of fifty, Kleberson stated: “With this child, I can’t rule something out! I met him when he was 17/18 years previous, in 2003. We talked quite a bit as a result of we wished to talk Portuguese. We might see the issues that he wished in his life, and he hasn’t modified that. He’s nonetheless the identical.
“If there’s something that Cristiano Ronaldo has, it’s psychological energy. His mentality is so highly effective. Then he takes care of himself quite a bit – his physique, the best way he performs.
“Whenever you watch him now, he isn’t like Cristiano Ronaldo of years in the past, however he nonetheless has an impression. We are able to say ‘it’s the Saudi league, it’s not an amazing league’, however you’ll be able to see that he performs at degree. He’s one that might transfer to MLS sooner or later. If he desires to play at 50, he can do it! He’s in nice form.”
New targets: How Ronaldo retains aggressive fireplace burning
Ronaldo is at present chasing down 1,000 profession targets, with that exceptional milestone very a lot inside attain. He has additionally expressed a want to play alongside his son Cristiano Jr at some stage, with it necessary for a participant of his calibre to proceed setting targets that maintain his aggressive fireplace burning after already reaching a lot.
