Mourinho's advocate

Journalist: You have said several times that you asked Cristiano to stand by your side at this stage of the national team project. However, a short while ago, you also told us that you found out, like the rest of us, that Cristiano Ronaldo was leaving the national team yesterday. My question is whether, after the statement and everything that has happened, you feel any resentment about the whole situation. And, following on from my colleague's question, do you also feel a sense of responsibility? 🇵🇹🗣 Jorge Jesus: "If I have just said that I was considering calling him up, it is because I wanted him to continue with this Nations League project. I have absolutely no resentment. Why? Because all my decisions were made with the team in mind. As a coach, I have always defended what I believe was best for the team. Therefore, I am completely at peace with everything, including my decision."

🚨 Portuguese Football Federation: “It is our firm and immense desire to organise, plan, participate, and actively collaborate in what will always be a fitting tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo's immense career, in which fans and the country can applaud and celebrate, once again, the player who has given us so much.” @BBCSport

🚨🇵🇹 OFFICIAL: Portuguese Federation confirm plan for a special farewell dedicated to Cristiano Ronaldo. “This will always be your home”, statement from FPF adds. 🏡

Portugal estará sempre em mim

🗣️ Journalist: Have you ever dribbled past Cristiano Ronaldo? 🇧🇷🗣️ Ronaldinho: “I don't know. You don't usually look at the face of the player you're marking or trying to dribble past.” 🗣️ Journalist: We searched on Google, and a picture of you dribbling past Cristiano Ronaldo came up, but it turned out to be a montage. I don't think you actually dribbled past him, but there's a clip from the middle of the Santiago Bernabéu pitch, when you were playing for Milan, where you completely stopped Cristiano with a powerful sliding tackle. Do you remember it? 🇧🇷🗣️ Ronaldinho: “No, I very rarely made sliding tackles in my career. A few days ago, I think my nephew showed me that clip and said, ‘Wow, what a tackle!’ He's a great kid. He said, ‘What a tackle, Uncle!’ I watched the clip, and that's when I remembered what happened. Now that you've reminded me of it, yes, I remember. I think he made a mistake, and that's why I went in with that sliding tackle.” 🗣️ Journalist: But there are no personal issues between you and Cristiano Ronaldo, are there? 🇧🇷🗣️ Ronaldinho: “No, not at all.” 🗣️ Journalist: Is he a good person? 🇧🇷🗣️ Ronaldinho: “Yes, he's a good person. We've only met a few times, during photoshoots, and he's always been very classy and respectful.” 🗣️ Journalist: Did he seem like a big fan of yours when he spoke to you? 🇧🇷🗣️ Ronaldinho: “He was very natural, completely natural.”

Messi making a f00l out of himself.😂😭

Previously i didn’t think Coaches had anything to do with players fitness and injury management till i noticed some patterns since Mourinho arrived. Starters don’t train on the pitch in the first training session after a game, even when he gives the whole team a day or two off. On their return, the starters go into recovery and the subs or unused players train on the pitch. This might look like a small detail but it has helped with load management and prevention of injuries. Hope this helps 😘.

You need to give Mourinho his credit, he’s improved this Madrid team a lot. Watch them now and you’ll see how much better they’ve become. They’re more organised, more compact, more aggressive without the ball, and everyone understands their defensive responsibilities. They’ve found the balance between defensive discipline and attacking quality. They press together, recover the ball quickly, and once they win it back, they know exactly how to hurt you. The attackers are still allowed to show themselves, but now there’s a proper structure behind them. They have the quality to beat any team in the world, but now they’re beginning to look like a proper collective as well. And that’s on Mourinho, he deserves his credit.