Cristiano Ronaldo’s impact on fans and especially athletes is exemplary. One of the most popular soccer stars in the world, the Al Nassr captain, has a reputation for scoring many goals and winning multiple titles over two decades. But England captain Harry Kane gave a unique perspective to his achievements, unlike his regular accolades.

The Bayern Munich striker was recently asked to name one player possessing special traits. And when it came to ‘big-game player’, the Englishman stated, ‘Ronnie.’ Kane’s respect for Ronaldo is not something unique. He also mentioned the Portuguese captain as the ‘best finisher in the history of football,’ and now talks about his ability to stay alive in crucial games.

Notably, in his spells for four different clubs, Ronaldo had to bear the burden of taking them over the line. Since he was just 18 years old while playing for Sporting Lisbon, his major contributions started with Manchester United. Ronaldo was the main reason Sir Alex Ferguson’s team won his second UEFA Champions League as a manager. Most notably, his screamer against Porto in the quarterfinals of 2009 helped the Red Devils move to the semifinals in the title-winning run. Later he scored United’s only goal in the final. From there, the rest was history, especially in the Champions League.

Subsequently, the most successful club in Europe, Real Madrid, looked up to Ronaldo in crunch games. CR7 has 67 goals and 15 assists in the knockout rounds of the Champions League. One of Cristiano’s best performances for the Los Blancos came in the second leg of the 2017 semifinal against Atletico Madrid. Ronaldo scored a hat trick to help the Los Blancos overcome a one-goal deficit to reach the finals. However, besides clutch performances, CR7 has a bigger influence on Harry Kane.

Harry Kane has one major takeaway from Cristiano Ronaldo’s career

Apart from his five Champions League titles, Ronaldo won 7 league titles across three different Leagues. However, it’s not the thirty trophies of the Al Nassr striker that Harry Kane was majorly impressed with, but his longevity.

A few months ago, mentioning both Ronaldo and his archrival Lionel Messi Kane reportedly said, “I think of what they’ve done, they are as good in their 30s as they were in their 20s. Those players [Ronaldo and Messi] have set the bar — those and a few others as well — and it just motivates me and tells me that it’s possible,” revealing his desire to play long.

In summary, Ronnie has made an impression of not just scoring a lot of goals, but also vital ones for his team. And after weaning his magic in Europe, the 39-year-old will look to create a similar impetus in Saudi. But can he win the King’s Cup for the Knights of Najd after a disappointing end to the Saudi League? Let us know in the comments.