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Real Madrid superstar Toni Kroos has heaped praise on former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, lauding the Portuguese for his incredible work ethic.
Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game. Over the course of his illustrious career, he has scored 815 goals in men’s football, emerging as the leading scorer of all time.
He has bagged five Champions League trophies, celebrated multiple league titles in three countries, and won the European Championship with Portugal.
Courtesy of his exploits, Ronaldo has won five Ballons d’Or, with only Lionel Messi (7) winning more Golden Balls than him in history.
In an OMR podcast, Kroos talked about Ronaldo’s incredible work ethic, claiming that his hard work deservedly took him to the top. The Real Madrid midfielder said (reported via Marca):
“He didn't reach the top because his name is Cristiano Ronaldo, but because he spends an incredible amount of time working. He is an absolute workhorse and that is the only way to get there.”
Ronaldo featured in 438 games for Real Madrid between 2009 and 2018, scoring 450 times and winning two La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies, amongst other honors. The Portugal skipper won four of his five Ballons d’Or during his time in the Spanish capital.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Toni Kroos had an enviable connection at Real Madrid
Toni Kroos and Cristiano Ronaldo, who were together at Real Madrid for four seasons, had excellent on-field chemistry. Kroos knew just how valuable Ronaldo's goals were and continuously scanned for his runs.
Ronaldo, too, used to depend on him for support, often giving the ball to him in a deeper area before dashing into the box to ask for a return. More often than not, Kroos found his teammate with a delicious lobbed through ball over the top.
During their four seasons together, Kroos and Ronaldo featured in 170 matches across competitions for Madrid, combining for 16 goals. The pair celebrated one La Liga title and three Champions League trophies together before the five-time Ballon d’Or winner left for Juventus in the summer of 2018.
