“The idea was probably a bit nicer” - Germany star Nick Woltemade explains why facing Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t like how he imagined

Germany striker Nick Woltemade shared his thoughts on facing Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time. The 23-year-old made his senior debut in the 2-1 UEFA Nations League defeat to Ronaldo's Portugal earlier this month.

Woltemade, who plies his club football for VfB Stuttgart, started both games in the Nations League. He played 60 minutes in the aforementioned defeat to eventual champions Portugal and 45 minutes in the 2-0 third-place play-off defeat to France.

Now with the Germany U21 team for the European Championships, Woltermade described his experience of facing Ronaldo:

"Of course, I've been asked that question a lot, including by the guys here (at the U21s)," Woltemade said. "It's like so often in life: you imagine things to be cool and exciting in your mind – but when you're actually there, and it becomes real, it's just a normal moment. And that's kind of how it was.

"I thought it would affect me a bit more. It was Ronaldo, of course, you know him. But it wasn't like I imagined, that I would be amazed. I was happy to see him and the other opponents, to measure myself against them. ... The idea was probably a bit nicer and bigger than it actually was in real life."

Meanwhile, Ronaldo scored the winnger in the comeback win over Germany and bagged the equalser in the shootout win over Spain in the final as Portugal became the first multiple Nations League winners.

A look at Cristiano Ronaldo's numbers in Portugal's victorious UEFA Nations League campaign

Cristiano Ronaldo led from the front in Portugal's victorious UEFA Nations League campaign. In nine games, the 40-year-old contributed a rich haul of eight goals and an assist, with his team winning seven times and losing just once.

Notably, Ronaldo scored in the last three games, quarter-final second leg at home to Denmark, semi-final against Germany and final against France. The equaliser against Les Bleus eventually forced extra time, where Roberto Martinez's side won 5-3 despite Ronaldo pulled off before the extra period.

Ronaldo's record tally in men's international football now stands at 138 goals and 45 assists in 221 games. All but 22 of those strikes (in 54 games) have come in competitive outings.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

Know More

Edited by Bhargav