The CR7s — More Advice For The Next Generation
“Dedication, hard work all the time, and belief.” ― Cristiano Ronaldo
This week I am just giving some brief advice to our stars of tomorrow. It is seven quick points called the CR7’s — a reference and homage to Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
1. Have fun, enjoy yourself. Remember that, at the end of the day, football is just a game. There are more important things in life, such as your family and loved ones. Football is simply gift of joy — you should learn to enjoy everything about it and all the fun that it brings.
2. Always be prepared. If you arrive at games or training prepared to play you can focus freely on playing. Always have all your equipment packed and ready to go ahead of time, preferably the night before. And remember to always bring water with you.
3. Be willing to try new things. Learn to go past your comfort zone. Always try something new, be it in training or practising skills on your own. You might bump into something that you master uniquely.
4. Have fun with the ball. This goes with the point above. The more you touch the ball, the better you will be at playing with it. Try to master the ball, try to understand and control it.
5. Be a sponge. Use all your senses to take in what people are willing to share and teach you. Listen, learn, try things and explore.
6. Ask questions. This really applies to everything in life. If you need assistance, ask. If you are unsure, ask. If you need some explaining, ask for it.
The more you ask and understand, the more you will learn and the better you will apply your skills.
7. Have respect. Don’t only show respect to your coaches and teammates, but always respect referees and your opponents, whether you win or lose.
And the Bonus: don’t forget to do well at school. At all the big clubs we dream of — Barcelona, Arsenal, Bayern Munich — the players study while they are in the academy before they are promoted up the ranks.
Education is the passport to the future.
