DEJAN KULUSEVSKI has revealed the advice Cristiano Ronaldo gave him — which has only just sunk in four years later.
Tottenham star Kulusevski and Al-Nassr ace Ronaldo graced the pitch together for Juventus during a brief spell in the 2020/21 campaign.
Winger Kulusevski was hailed as Juve’s next bright spark.
While Ronaldo, who is still starring for club and country, continued to bang in the goals as their striker ahead of a shock return to Manchester United.
Both men are now continuing to forge their own path, with Kulusevski eager to replicate Ronnie’s success in the Premier League.
And he is now taking to heart a piece of advice given to him by the Portuguese great all those years ago.
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Ronaldo loves dishing out tips and tricks to talented youngsters, having been one himself at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson.
And he gave Kulusevski a seven-word hint that the Swede is only now beginning to understand.
Tottenham’s midfield ace said: “To not be satisfied with being good, but to be the best every day. That’s the only thing that matters. As hard as it is to try to be the best.
“I think that you learn over time, that you begin to understand much more about how the world and the brain work. You can’t be 17 and know everything.
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“Yes, I always change. I’m starting to get to know my body. When I was younger, I didn’t understand when Ronaldo told me: ‘You will get to know your body’. Because I didn’t know my body then.
“But now I’m starting to understand my strengths and weaknesses, how I can improve. So I feel like everything is getting easier.
“I know how to train the day before a match, two days before a match, what to do when I’m tired and so on. All the little details that in the end make a big difference.”
However, not all future footballers have taken Ronaldo’s words of wisdom on board.
After leaving United two years ago, he famously blasted their current crop of youngsters for not listening to him during his second spell.
He told Piers Morgan: “It’s a little bit of a shame because they have the best examples in front of their eyes, and they don’t at least copy what you did.
“For me it’s weird because I always looked to see the best players in Ruud van Nistelrooy, Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs — that is why I have the success that I have and the longevity.
“They don’t care, some of them yes but most of them no. They’re not going to have longevity, it’s impossible.”
Ronaldo also told ex-teammate Ferdinand for that reason, he has no intention of becoming a coach.
He said last month: “For me it will be difficult one day to be a coach, because I don’t have passions for this generation.
“It’s difficult, especially in football, because they don’t take advice by our experience.
“They think they know everything, they think the phones will give you good education, TikTok, Instagram.
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“I have other things to worry about, another chapter of my life that is a business part that I’m excited about.
“It will be a challenge to me and learn other areas I don’t know, be more involved in my business and I think will be good.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
