)
When we think of 5-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, one of football’s greatest ever attackers, we think of the towering mass of muscle which has dominated football pitches around the world for over two decades. A symbol of strength, speed, skill, technique… a complete athlete. He is a player who doesn’t seem to ever tire, to ever rest. But this particular aspect of his appearance couldn’t be further from the truth. Ronaldo, after all, is human, and understands this fact better than anyone else. He does tire, and so he also rests - but in a very calculated way, to fully optimize sleep to his advantage.
Last year, the craque sat down for an interview and explained just how important sleep is as a part of his daily routine: “For me, probably sleep is the most important tool that I have, because it’s the only moment in the day that you can recover and settle everything. So, for me, a great night of sleep is the most important thing that, probably, we have in life - in terms of health span.” For a player who has been consistently putting in great matches, even at the age of 40, he is aware that such regular high performance levels are simply impossible without the recovery which sleep enables.
As explained by the Mayo Clinic Health system: ‘As you push your body to be stronger, go faster and be more agile, your tissues undergo continual wear and tear. Sleep provides your body time and energy to repair the wear and tear.’
CR7's "Invisible Training"
This is why the player, who famously sets the highest of standards for everything that happens within the pitch, does the same for everything that happens beyond it. He has a fixed time to go to bed (between 23h and 00h) and to wake up (8:30h). Of course, football brings with it unexpected challenges when trying to maintain such a consistent habit - some games happen late at night, and sometimes teams have to travel to countries with entirely different timezones. But Ronaldo is aware of and prepared for these challenges. At every stage, he prioritizes sleep, which in turns allows him to make the most of his days.
Marcelo, who played alongside Ronaldo for 9 seasons at Real Madrid, recalls the intensity of CR7’s commitment to excellence during his time at the club. He notes how it wasn’t only Ronaldo’s outstanding physical regiment and performances in training, but also his devotion to a strict and consistent rest routine: “Recovery is training too. So I think he [Ronaldo] really values that - recovery.” (Podpah)
“From 8, 9 at night, I already have a sense of calm. [...] I try to take things calmly, peacefully, without much stress.” - Cristiano Ronaldo
)
A Golden Routine
The legend, who has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or a record 18 times, also values the process of winding down before sleep. Since it is well-known that you should avoid intense exercise for 1 to 2 hours before your bedtime and find healthy ways to relax the body, Ronaldo does just that: “From 8, 9 at night, I already have a sense of calm. Walking with Gio [Georgina Rodríguez, his wife]. Doing things in a relaxed way. Watching a movie. [...] That is, I try to take things calmly, peacefully, without much stress.” (Canal 11)
At 41 years of age, Ronaldo shows no sign of slowing down. He is still consistently putting in impressive footballing displays and is on the path to scoring 1,000 career goals. Of course, none of this would be possible without his incomparable dedication to his work during the day - pushing himself to reach the peak of physical ability and performance. But it also wouldn’t be possible without the value which he places on the hours between the training sessions, between the matches. Ronaldo understands the importance of sleep, of rest, of calm. And it is exactly for this reason that his fans can feel relatively calm themselves while watching him play, knowing their hero always gives his all and never leaves them wanting.
