4 Reasons Why Latest Injury Could Hurt Ballon d'Or Frontrunner Cristiano Ronaldo's Career
Cristiano Ronaldo's latest injury is rather problematic for the superstar.
While the gravity of the situation remains unknown, there are some major causes for concern for the Real Madrid star who recently claimed that he would come back stronger than ever. But will he?
Age
The first consideration is his age. At 31 Ronaldo simply is not as durable as he once was and with every passing day his body starts to lose the strength and composure of his younger years.
Past Knee problems
His knee has already been an issue before. In 2014, he played through the World Cup with a major injury, even citing that he risked his career to play in that showcase. The superstar was noticeably lost throughout the tournament with the exception of the final group game in which he essentially dominated Ghana singlehandedly. But that issue cropped up during the regular season that year and once again during the final two seasons. Compound his latest knee injury and he might not be the same player any longer.
Lack of rest
The issue is aggravated by Ronaldo's lack of rest. As noted, his age limits him, his knee problems only add to the issue and his lack of rest is most problematic of all. Ronaldo is known for being careful with his body but he rarely sits during the season, playing 90 minutes on most nights. He can't do it forever or he will fade out far quicker as the season progresses.
Style of play
The evolution of Ronaldo has been reported and remarked on to exhaustion. He is now a poacher with some tricks up his sleeves on occasion. He runs fast, but the knee injury could hurt his speed and hence his overall effectiveness. He is also a physical beast and relies on his strength for overcoming defenders in the box and winning in the air. Just witness his goal against Wales in Euro 2016. Radamel Falcao played a similar style and saw his form drop tremendously after a knee injury that damaged his ability to play the physical game.
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