The coach once again addressed the lack of professionalism exhibited by the number 9 during his time at Real Madrid.
The former Real Madrid manager, Fabio Capello, has stirred up significant discussion with his recent comments about his relationship with Ronaldo Nazário during their shared time at the Spanish club.
Speaking in a recent interview for ON Sport’s Hat-Trick program, the Italian coach didn’t hold back when discussing the Brazilian’s conduct behind the scenes.
Capello emphasized that Ronaldo’s talent was never in question. However, his off-the-pitch behavior reportedly disrupted the team’s environment and undermined internal discipline at Real Madrid during that period.
In the interview, Capello leveled direct criticism at the former number 9. According to the coach, the striker did not demonstrate the level of dedication expected of a top-tier professional athlete.
Moreover, the coach explained how this lack of discipline affected the team’s daily routines. Despite this, Capello took a moment to acknowledge the Brazilian’s extraordinary skills, though he highlighted that the player was far from peak physical condition.
Discussing other football stars, Capello took the opportunity to analyze the career of Cristiano Ronaldo. While he praised Ronaldo’s dedication and goal-scoring ability, the coach was unwavering in highlighting a key distinction when comparing him to other football legends.
– Cristiano is a phenomenal scorer and an incredible athlete, but he lacks the genius of Messi, Maradona, or Ronaldo. That creative brilliance the others had just isn’t present in Cristiano. You can’t put him on the same level as those three.
With this statement, Capello made it clear that, in his opinion, the Portuguese player does not belong to the same creative echelon as some of the greatest names in football history.