Luís Castro reveals the reasons that led him to leave Botafogo: the dream of coaching Ronaldo, a living legend of world football. The Portuguese coach did not hide his admiration for the star and explained why he decided to leave the Brazilian club to embrace this unique challenge at Al Nassr, where he spent 14 months alongside the Portuguese player who defined a generation.
“Neither Botafogo deserved that, nor did we deserve that,” Luís Castro stated in an exclusive interview with Canal do Duda Garbi. The coach insisted that his departure was motivated by a rare opportunity: “We deserved for everyone to understand that it was still an opportunity for Botafogo to do what it went on to do later, due to the foundation that was laid, and an opportunity for me to do what I wanted to do, which was to coach a global reference in football.”
For Luís Castro, Ronaldo is not just a player: “He is a player distinguished on all levels; it is no coincidence that he has the Ballon d’Ors that he has. It is no coincidence that he will certainly reach a thousand official goals; nothing happens by chance. He is a reference for everything and everyone, for the way he plays, how he behaves, respects human beings, and the profession.”
The coach praised the professionalism and rigor of [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://apitofinal.pt/internacional/espanha-empata-com-iraque-e-levanta-duvidas-antes-do-mundial/), whom he considers the ultimate example of dedication in football: “Working with him has helped me realize every day that rigor is part of those who are among the most competent in the world. The hour is the hour. Nutrition is nutrition, training is training, sleep is sleep, rest is rest. Hydration is hydration. It represents all the rigor that the player must have. He doesn’t make mistakes, he might miss a goal here and there, but he does three times as much.”
In addition to excellence on the field, Luís Castro highlighted the player’s personality and impact in the locker room: “He is a friendly person, leads by his presence, by the way he cares for his teammates. His teammates have respect for him.”
Regarding the experience of coaching a player of this caliber, the Portuguese coach was emphatic: “It is much easier to train the best than those who are not as good. He knows what he is, has a critical mindset, likes to question, but a rational questioning, to add. Cristiano likes to train, is competitive, enjoys talking, but he is an absolutely normal person.”
Castro also dispelled a common myth about Ronaldo’s attitude in training: “I have never seen Cristiano unmotivated in training. He goes to win the training, he goes to be the best in the game.”
This revelation from Luís Castro sheds light on the behind-the-scenes of the career of one of the greatest players in football history and explains the reasoning behind a decision that, at first glance, may have surprised fans and analysts. Coaching Ronaldo is not for everyone. And Luís Castro did not want to miss that opportunity.
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