The confession of the former coach who discovered Ronaldo: I compared Ronaldo to Figo in Portugal, they went crazy.

A thousand games played, 726 goals, five “Golden Lands”, four “Golden Shoes”, five Champions, six national champion titles (liga), one European, Real Madrid's top goalist (451 goals), the Champions (128) and Portugal (99)... That is, in short, the trajector who has made Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro a career, as one of the best football players of all time.

A career that could be very different if it did not pass through the hands of László Bölöni. The current coach of the Royal Antwerp (Antwerp) led Sporting CP to win his last title at the Portuguese championship, in the 2001-2002 season. At the time, he also debuted CR7 with the Lusian club while carrying the number 28.

The Romanian coach gave him the possibility of anti-Interit debut (0-0). Ronaldo replaced Toñito in the 58th minute, August 14, 2002. At the time he was 17 years old, six months and nine days... Bölön measured “pulsin” to the young boy who had played only two matches with the Sporting branch. I went to watch the club's youth match and asked him to come and train with the first team because he had a good physical. Cristiano was very fast, he had excellent technique. This wasn't a surprise to me” ) says it for “

The surprise came at his first training session with older ones: When I saw him in action, I decided not to play with the young again. Ronaldo was a young man. In the dressing room, he joked, but in the field he did not forgive, he turned into an extraordinary player. He had a maturity, which is not normal for someone 16-17 years old”.

“memorphosis” CR7 as a footballer. Bölöni not only gave him the opportunity to debut with the first team but changed his playing style: “Cristiano played “9” with young people, but I decided to activate him as extreme right, because he was young, easy, he weighed 60 kilos. It would be very difficult for him to play with his back and face opposers weighing up to 60 pounds [100 kg]. On the right side of the attack, at the speed and the fantastic drive he owned, it would be much more efficient”.

And this shift role in the field came into effect: “Cristiano was happy. Now, with another power, he plays again as the first attacker. However, with Ferguson, Manchester United, he continued playing as a right attacker. The first “Golden Cup” won in that position in 2008. I remember he invited me to that ceremony and he said thank you. That was great. Says the coach, who turned Antwerp into a Cup final, 28 years later. ) I knew that with his speed and drive, Cristiano would be more efficient in his arms than at the center of the <x0.

His confidence in CR7 was total: For me, it was no surprise. I didn't know he'd be one of the best in history, but he promised a very good player, no harm. At that time, I was asked about Cristiano in an interview, and I said that he would overcome Fygo and even Eusébio. Those words created a problem for me because they are two gods in Portugal. I dared compare a young man to two gods Ronaldo, however, has shown that I had a right”

When it comes to his positioning in the Messi-Cristiano duality, the coach who enabled the debut of the Portuguese star is hiding: “Which is best? I can't be objective, Ronaldo will always be my “son” He started with me at Sporting. CP. In any case, we're all lucky to have enjoyed two monuments, shining 1015 years. Cruyff said it's important to be the best, but it's more important to be at the top of”. 

Cristiano debuted against Inter and prior to the football stop, because of the coronary, but against Inter played his 1000th career in the elite. The Old Lady” won Italy's derbe 2-0, but Ronaldo didn't score. There his best moment ended after leaving Real Madrid. At the age of 35, he had scored 11 straight matches of Serie A.

How long will we have a CR7 like this? No one can say how long it will be at the top. There is one quality that we have not discussed - his mentality, the typical of a gladiator. He's too strong, he always wants more. Ronaldo's a very hardworking guy, he's got a privileged physical, technically a more successful football player... If there's no damage, I think it might play for a few more years”, Says László Bölöni, the coach who discovered Cristiano, made him debut with Sporting CP in 2002 and “specialised” as arm attacker, right.