Cristiano Ronaldo’s old coach shares which Man Utd player he wanted to beat right away
Cristiano Ronaldo’s upcoming sixth World Cup appearance is no surprise to the man who helped shape his early career at Manchester United.
At 41, Ronaldo has kept himself in amazing shape and is set to captain Portugal in the World Cup this summer in the USA—a record no other player has matched. While legends like Lionel Messi, Paolo Maldini, Lothar Matthaus, and Miroslav Klose have played in five tournaments, Ronaldo will make history with his sixth.
Though he’s now playing in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Hilal instead of Europe’s top leagues, Ronaldo is ready to lead his country on football’s biggest stage next month.
Mick Clegg, former Manchester United strength coach, isn’t surprised by Ronaldo’s longevity. Clegg trained Ronaldo one-on-one on fitness and conditioning from when he joined United in 2003 until he left for Real Madrid in 2009.
Clegg calls Ronaldo a “genius” who stands out because of his dedication and work ethic. “Cristiano was the best trainer I ever worked with. I’ve never seen anyone like him,” Clegg told SPORTbible. “He deserved everything he’s achieved. From day one, he wanted to learn and treated everyone with respect. He listened, learned, and built habits that have lasted his whole career.”
Today, Ronaldo’s approach to fitness is famous, inspiring many players. But Clegg says Ronaldo was ahead of his time even as an 18-year-old.
“People may call mathematicians smart, but running at 20 miles per hour, controlling the ball, and scoring goals like he did – that’s genius too,” said Clegg. He praised Ronaldo’s focus on injury prevention, sleep, diet, and other details early on, which helped him stay at the top for so long.
Ronaldo copied Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs’ professionalism but took it even further with his careful training and recovery routines. Clegg says Ronaldo wanted to know everything Giggs did in the gym—then aimed to do better.
Clegg also worked with Wayne Rooney and shared how different their approaches were. While Rooney was a pure footballer who loved playing, he didn’t focus as much on the intense training and lifestyle that Ronaldo did.
“Wayne knew Cristiano was unique and didn’t try to copy him,” said Clegg. “He was happy to play his own way.”
Looking back, Clegg feels lucky to have worked with such great players during that era. And he believes Ronaldo’s unmatched work ethic is the key to his continued success and record-breaking career.