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Real Madrid striker Vinicius Junior has said that he strives to take inspiration from club legend Cristiano Ronaldo. The current Al-Nassr striker spent a hugely successful spell at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Arriving in the Spanish capital from Manchester United in the summer of 2009 on a then world-record €94 million transfer, Ronaldo scored a club-record 450 times in just 438 games across competitions in nine seasons. He won big titles and individual awards galore, and seven years after leaving the Bernabeu, continues to go strong.
Vinicius, who arrived in Madrid after Ronaldo's departure, is now a key player for Los Blancos. The 25-year-old opened up how he draws inspiration from the Portuguese (as per GQ via Managing Madrid):
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“Cristiano Ronaldo has inspired me with his incredible work and dedication. He never stops striving to be the best.”
The Brazilian also named NBA legend LeBron James as another sportsman he admires, as well as footballing legends from his own country:
“LeBron James for the same reasons, but also for what he has done for his community, demonstrating that greatness goes beyond performance.
“And of course Brazilian legends like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Neymar, who represent a lot for the Brazilian people and for Brazilian football. They’ve shown the world the talent and joy we bring to the game”
Following his spell at Real Madrid, Ronaldo played three seasons at Juventus and a season and a half back at Manchester before arriving at Al-Nassr in December 2022 on a free transfer.
How Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo fared last season?
Cristiano Ronaldo is coming off a strong 2024-25 campaign with Al-Nassr, whom he joined more than two years ago after two decades of gracing some of the top clubs in European football.
The 40-year-old tallied 39 goal contributions (35 goals and four assists) in 41 outings across competitions. The numbers were down from his 44-goal 2023-24 campaign, his first full season in Saudi Arabian football, when he struck a record 36 times in the Saudi Pro League, as the Knights of Najd finished second.
Coming back to the previous campaign, Ronaldo scored 25 times in the league, but Al-Nassr only finished third, behind winners Al-Ittihad and the previous season's winners Al-Hilal.
The Portugal captain also netted eight times in as many outings in the AFC Champions League Elite, where the Knights of Najd lost to Kawasaki Frontale in the semi-finals. However, Ronaldo endured another season in club football without competitive silverware.
