Carvalho: I don t know where Ronaldo s limit is; Ruben Dias is a natural leader

Hupu September 18th News Former Portuguese player Ricardo Carvalho recently accepted an interview with The Ball. He talked about his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, and praised the current Portuguese national team defender Ruben Dias as a natural leader.

When you first participated in the European Cup in 2004, the player named Cristiano Ronaldo was in the team. 21 years have passed, and he is still a key figure in the national team. How long can we see him wearing the Portuguese jersey?

I think he can keep kicking as long as he wants. In fact, he has won so many honors over the years…and I think he is in a good shape now, and that’s the most important thing. He can help the team, feel that he is part of the team, and feel that he can contribute. Coach Martinez, in particular, made a great contribution to recalling him back to the national team after the 2022 World Cup. Ronaldo has the ability to play to the next World Cup. I don’t know where his limit is, nor how long he can play, but we are all very happy that he can lead the team as our captain in the way he has always been.

When Ronaldo decides to retire, will any player in the national team be able to take over the captain's armband?

We have a lot of good players, and Ronaldo knows that he can't beat time in the end, he feels good now and is an important part of the team. I think he is currently living in the present and living day by day. After that, we have many players who have played for the giant clubs and won the championship. They have led their own teams, experienced and of course they can lead the national team the way they do. Ronaldo leads his way, and he has grown a lot over the years since he started. Most importantly, the national team is now full of talents and has excellent leaders.

What is the experience of changing from Ronaldo's teammate to his coach?

I am more responsible for Portugal's defensive aspects, but it's a great time to work with him. We always maintain great respect, and that's the most important thing. Now my role is different, but I feel like I am still his teammate, but my responsibilities are different. On the court, if I had something to say to Ronaldo, I would say it straight, and he would do the same to me. We are very honest. Coach Martinez always says his door is open to anyone who wants to communicate. Some people may go through me or others, but if the player wants to communicate directly with the head coach, they know that it is OK.

When it comes to defense, can it be said that the future of the central defender position is guaranteed?

Yes, fortunately there are constantly emerging younger, talented and with a lot of room for improvement. We have Ruben Dias, who has seen his experience, and he is a natural leader. In addition, we have several young people who have accumulated experience, Antonio Silva, who has already had a lot of experience in the Portuguese Super League, as well as Gonzalo, Renato... and Thomas Arauno, who have left a deep impression on people. I can also talk about full-backs, but in terms of the central defender position I used to play, there have been many high-quality players who can't stop improving.

Is there any player that allows you to see more of your shadow back then?

Wow, this one is harder to answer…I think Ruben Dias is a natural leader, he loves defense, and I like the way he plays because he is the kind of player who is as excited as a goal when celebrating a successful defense or a great tackle. It is important for a defender to love defense, and he obviously enjoys it. In addition, some players have better technical abilities, while others have stronger physical fitness. Most importantly, it’s a pleasure to be with them because they are eager to learn and improve. We have a short preparation time because they have to play, and then we give two days to recover, and then another game, but I noticed that these young players are growing in this situation.