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Cristiano Ronaldo was a poor boy born in Funchal, Portugal, who reached the top of the world thanks to his talents in soccer. He has a net worth valued at $450,000,000 and is the second-highest-paid athlete in the world. He is just behind Lionel Messi, the most significant rival in his career.
The Portuguese soccer star started his career when he was a teenager and, besides his natural talent, several other things brought him to this position. Now, he is an inspiration for several other players in the world. Here are a few reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo is successful.
He Always Wants To Win
It is impossible to follow Cristiano's career and don't notice his focus on the highest prize. The soccer star doesn't know how to lose, and that makes all the difference in his career. It is part of his nature, and he had the same behavior even when he was an amateur.
"Whether it was training or playing a prank, he had to win. All that counted was winning. It didn't matter how. When things weren't going well, he was the kid who would cry," said Pedro Talhinhas, his first coach.
He Learned How To Lead
Cristiano Ronaldo became the captain of the Portugal team when he was only 22 years old. More than talent, the position demands natural leadership skills that Cristiano Ronaldo has. Being the captain also highlighted the competitive side of the athlete. "To be captain of the Portugal National Team makes me proud. I like to lead by example. When you play for your country you want to win, you want to defend your colors", Ronaldo said.
He is still the captain of the team, and he is a real example of leadership and motivation to the team.
Training Hard
Cristiano Ronaldo knows that to remain on the top of his game, he can't take it for granted and has to train hard.
"I try to keep a thorough training program with many exercises to support all the different parts of my body," Cristiano Ronaldo said. "There are many (exercises) I prefer, but honestly, I give my best in every one of them because different exercises serve different and important objectives," he continued. "I try always to be a hard worker in everything I do, and training is so important. To make it to the top of any sport, you need to be extremely competitive but also extremely determined and make many sacrifices."
A Balanced Diet and Resting Schedule
Unsurprisingly, having a healthy diet and resting well is one of the secrets of Cristiano Ronaldo to perform well when he is playing.
"I try to avoid alcohol and sweets even if sometimes I eat them to relax. There are three important things to do. Sleep well, eat well, and train hard. These are the three most important things for a footballer. If you don't train consistently, if you don't train your shooting skills, your pace, your dribbling, you'll get worse", Cristiano Ronaldo said.
Make A Match Beautiful To Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best players in the world, and that means that he is also able to mesmerize the world with his moves and goals. He has approximately 600 goals in his professional career, and some of them are memorable, most of them in Real Madrid.
It doesn't matter if you love or hate Cristiano Ronaldo, you have to admit that it is more than numbers. He makes soccer delightful to watch. It is great to see his passion during a match and how he leads the team.
Compete With Lionel Messi
Some rivalries are famous in sports history, like Senna and Proust on F1. Nowadays we have several fans, coaches and sports journalists discussing who is better: Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. But this competition has improved both careers since both players are highly competitive and they want to be recognized as the best player in the world.
"Messi makes me a better player and vice versa. I have an excellent professional relationship with Messi because we have been sharing the same moments for 15 years", Cristiano Ronaldo said.
He Doesn't Care What Other People Think
When Cristiano Ronaldo became a phenomenon last decade, he dragged the attention not only for his talent but for his looks. Ronaldo always cared about fashion and how he looked. Many critics affirmed he was obsessed with his image, but he never really care about what people said, as long as he is happy.
"Not really. I don't believe I'm obsessed by looking good. I look good because I am, I'm joking! I think everything's important to look good, to smell good. You know, it's not just women," the player said.
Love And Support From His Mom
Like many soccer players, Cristiano Ronaldo had a deprived childhood and grew up in a tiny house in Aveiro, Portugal, with three other siblings. He grew up with his parents, and his father had problems with alcohol, but he could always count on his mother. After he started playing, Dolores took care of his finances until he was 18, and they had a joint account.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Dolores have a very close relationship, and she helps to raise his four children. Cristiano also gives her a fancy life, with luxurious cars and incredible holidays.
Remain Super Confident
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most talented players in history, and he is aware of that. He believes he is the best player that ever existed.
"I'm the best player in history, in the good moments and the bad ones," he told France Football. "I respect everyone's preferences, but I've never seen anyone better than me. I have always thought that. No footballer can do the things I can. There's no player more complete than me. I play well with both feet, I'm quick, powerful, good with the head, I score goals, I make assists. There are guys who prefer Neymar or (Lionel) Messi. But I tell you: there's no-one more complete than me.
Gain Valuable Sponsorship Contracts
Cristiano Ronaldo, as we know, is an exceptional player, and he achieved almost everything in his career. However, he is also ambitious and invests his time in other endeavors. Cristiano is aware that his image is worth millions, and he uses it to have outstanding sponsorship contracts.
According to Verdict, the soccer superstar charges an average of $500,000 for TV ads and $30,000,000 a year for other contracts using his image. This is also a reason why he is one of the highest-earning athletes in the world.