Real Madrid prepared a great show at Santiago Bernabéu stadium before the game against Granada. The club wanted to give affection to Cristiano Ronaldo, who won his fourth Golden Ball in December. For this reason, Los Blancos invited all the players who won the award and played at Santiago Bernabéu. Raymond Koppa, Michael Owen, Luis Figo, Ronaldo Nazario and Zinedine Zidane were on the pitch. Besides, Fabio Cannavaro and Kaká left a message showed in the TV.
With this show, Real Madrid and Florentino Pérez gave importance to the star Cristiano Ronaldo, who was very happy with his four Ballon D’Or in the pitch. He has been the best footballer in the world in 2016 and he’s ready to continue with the success in 2017. However, we’re watching a new Cristiano Ronaldo, a “leader”, like Zinedine Zidane said.
Cristiano Ronaldo is already 31 years old and he needs to change the way he plays. Zidane knows it and the Portuguese striker knows it as well. For this reason, we don’t see Cristiano anymore close the touchline, but playing as a striker. Now even Karim Benzema goes more to the sideline but Cristiano Ronaldo plays as a ‘9’.
Besides, Zinedine Zidane has achieved that Cristiano understands that he needs to rest. In the past seasons, the Portuguese arrived at the end of the season with physical problems and he missed important games like the semifinals of the Champions League or even the final of the Euro. Among other things, this is due to his anxiety to play all the games. Now, he has understood that he’s not a youngster anymore, so he needs to rest to play the most important games of the season really focused.
Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo has the role of the leader of the squad. In the game against Sevilla, the striker went down to the dressing room to cheer up the team after the great first half the team performed in the Copa del Rey. “Cristiano Ronaldo is a leader, inside and outside the pitch”, Zidane said about the star. Now, he is showing he is a mature footballer and able to change his role in the pitch. The result, one goal in the first game of the year, thanks to a great header against Granada.
