Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t even been an Al-Nassr player for two months but the superstar’s off-pitch habits are rubbing off on his team-mates, who are leading the Saudi Pro League title race
Cristiano Ronaldo’Add News influence is showing at Al-Nassr (Image: Khalid Alhaj/MB Media/Getty Images)
Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t just helping new club Al-Nassr out with his goal-laden performances on the pitch, but also influencing changes behind the scenes.
The 38-year-old megastar – renowned for his relentless dedication on the training ground and at home – has raised the game at Al-Nassr with five strikes in as many games for the club, while also inspiring his team-mates to improve their diets and train more intensely as they challenge for the Saudi Pro League title. That’s according to someone truly in the know, Al-Nassr’s nutritionist.
Echoing how Ronaldo’s presence at Manchester United last season prompted his former team-mates to start eating healthier upon his return to Old Trafford, Jose Blesa has lifted the lid on the Portuguese striker’s impact in Riyadh. Speaking to Spanish outlet Ideal, Blesa explained: “I was uncertain, like everyone else, about what it was going to be like to work with him and if the club was going to change a lot, but I haven’t found a more professional footballer than him.
“Every conversation with him is a learning curve. We met and talked about his diet, about how he understands the importance of this and rest for performance. He wears two rest metres: the ring and the bracelet. He is the first to arrive at training and the last to leave. Dealing with him is wonderful.”
Appreciative of Ronaldo’s influence, Blesa added: “Cristiano helps me a lot, because we can no longer teach him anything, but he creates a school around him. The rest of the players do what he does because everything he does is wonderful to improve his performance.
“Since he has been here, all the players have trained more intensely and followed a stricter diet. I have not seen a club like this in which the players improve practically 90 per cent in their body composition every time I see them: they have less fat, more muscle and they do all the exercises at their fingertips. It is a luxury to work there.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s team-mates in Saudi Arabia are taking note of his health and professionalism ( Image: Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
source:www.mirror.co.uk
