Ronaldo says he still needs time to get back to his best
Real Madrid striker Ronaldo believes it is only a matter of time before he recaptures the devastating form he produced while he was at his peak, before the knee injuries that have plagued him over the last three years.
Real Madrid striker Ronaldo believes it is only a matter of time before he recaptures the devastating form he produced while he was at his peak, before the knee injuries that have plagued him over the last three years.
"People expect me to be like I was when I was at Barcelona when I ran from the halfway line, beat three or four players and then scored," Ronaldo told Spanish daily El Pais in an interview.
"I will be able to do that again but I need time. I am sure I will be the same as I was before."
The 26-year-old Ronaldo, who joined Real from Inter Milan for 45 million euros after protracted transfer negotiations at the start of this season, scored two goals on his debut for the club at the start of last month but has scored just once since then.
However, the powerful striker, whose goals fired Brazil to their record fifth World Cup triumph this year, said his disappointment at losing to France in the final of the 1998 tournament and his succession of serious knee injuries had taught him to be able to deal with all manner of setbacks.
"I believe in destiny," he said. "I think that all the bad things that have happened to me over the last four years were sent to test me.
"I am pleased because I have managed to overcome the obstacles and because I showed that I had the character to face up to some very serious problems."
The Brazilian international admitted that before this year's World Cup final against Germany he had been worried that he might suffer a repetition of the mysterious fit that hit him before the last final against France.
"I remember that after eating before the Paris final I went to sleep and when I woke up I felt ill."
"This time I was very scared of going to sleep after lunch...I spent the whole afternoon talking with (the Brazilian goalkeeper) Dida so that I didn't go to sleep. I was very afraid."
Ronaldo also admitted that he had already made up his mind to leave Inter Milan before the World Cup began and once again pointed to the presence of Argentine coach Hector Cuper as the reason behind his decision.
"I spoke with the (Inter) president (Massimo Moratti) and said that I didn't get on with the coach. I asked him to do something to sort it out but he preferred to keep Cuper rather than me."