Ronaldo's influence already impacting Al Nassr teammates

Stuart Telford

• 22 Feb 2023 17:06 GMT
• 3 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored five goals in five games since joining Al Nassr in January, and his influence is already being felt off the pitch as well.

Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January after his Manchester United contract was terminated following an unsanctioned interview with Piers Morgan in which he slammed the club, it's Glazer family ownership, and manager Erik ten Hag.

Ronaldo's €200 million a year contract in Saudi Arabia makes him the highest-paid sportsman of all time, but his recent behaviour meant there was an in-built risk with his deal, quite aside from the financial outlay.

READ: Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr: Goals, assists, results & fixtures

But the Portuguese superstar has got his head down in the Saudi Pro League, and as well as hitting five goals and two assists at a rate of one every 51 minutes he has played, has also had a positive impact off the pitch.

"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," Al Nassr nutritionist Jose Blesa told Spanish daily newspaper Ideal.

Blesa: 'dealing with him is wonderful'

"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.

READ: Aboubakar: Ronaldo tried to persuade me to stay

"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."

Ronaldo's techniques are obviously working. Al Nassr lead the Saudi Pro League with 40 points after 17 games played, ahead of rivals Al Ittihad and Al Shabab on goal-difference. Considering has only been there for four games, expect that gap to open.