“Didn’t Let Opposing Full-Back Breathe” – FC Barcelona Director Deco Highlights Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Ability’ that Makes Him ‘Different’

In his 20s, Cristiano Ronaldo shared the stage with the current FC Barcelona Director Deco on the Portugal National Team. The duo played together in 57 matches and lost only 10 of them. Deco retired from Portugal in 2010 and has missed the chance to closely watch CR7’s international exploits in the last 14 years. However, those few years that he spent with the 5x-Ballon d’Or winner were enough to leave a great impression on Deco. In a recent interview, the Portuguese veteran laid bare Ronaldo’s ‘technical ability’, making him an ‘amazing watch.’

Cristiano Ronaldo has come a long way since parting ways with Deco, winning 4 Ballon d’Ors and 4 UEFA Champions League titles. The Al Nassr skipper’s domination continues to this day, as he secured last year’s Golden Boot with a staggering 54 goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘speed’ and ‘intense’ gameplay left Deco in disbelief

Deco believes nobody will ever replicate Cristiano Ronaldo’s technical ability. Diving deeper into his CR7’s technical prowess, the Portuguese veteran revealed he was often a nightmare to rival defenders. “Ah, simply being around someone who was obviously different, on and off the pitch. I was struck by his [Ronaldo] ability, his speed, and the way he played. His game had a lot of intensity,” said Deco. He then revealed how the soccer icon tired out the opposition.

He continued, “He tired out the opposition – he didn’t let the opposing full-back breathe. That was something I hadn’t seen in any player up to that point. He always had great technical ability, too. It was amazing to watch him,” as per FourFourTwo. Deco’s deepest run with the Portugal team was when they qualified for the UEFA Euro final in 2004. A young Ronaldo also shared the stage but lost the final that year.

Later on, six years after the FC Barcelona director’s retirement, CR7 led Portugal to their first-ever UEFA Euro title win in 2016. Deco retired from club soccer in 2013, aged 35. When Ronaldo was 35, he was still dominating in Europe’s top flight. Even now, as he’s nearing 40, he is scoring goals for Portugal and Al Nassr as if it were a routine affair.

A 39-year-old Ronaldo is still at the center of his team’s attack

Last year, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 54 goals to beat elite European stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to emerge as the top goal scorer. Notably, 10 of these goals came during his nine outings with the Portugal NT. His country had an undefeated run in the matches they played last year. From the looks of it, Ronaldo will go on to captain Portugal in his sixth UEFA Euro in June 2024, in Germany.

READ MORE: “It’s a Shame”- Eden Hazard on Failing to Replace Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid

Meanwhile, the 5x-UCL winner joined Al Nassr last year as the club’s MVP and has been living up to that reputation ever since. Al Nassr won the last three of their matches in the Saudi Pro League and the AFC Champions League. CR7 engineered these wins, scoring goals in all three games. This season, he has 27 goals and 11 assists from 28 appearances with Al Nassr.

READ MORE: Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo Offered a Route Back To La Liga By President Javier Tebas