Mesut Ozil: What I Learned From Champions League Star Cristiano Ronaldo

By The Editor
on 5th June 2017

Mesut Ozil admires Cristiano Ronaldo on so many levels…

Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil showered praise on his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the Champions League final in which the Portuguese star proved his big game prowess.

Ozil spent three years in Madrid with Ronaldo, where the Ballon d’Or winner scored more goals from the German’s assist than any other player.

Having reached three Champions League semi-finals together during their time at Real Madrid, Ozil knows all about what makes Ronaldo reach levels others can only dream of.

While his quotes above were released before the 32-year-old’s match winning performance, Ronaldo went on to prove Ozil right.

“What I admired about him was how hungry for success he is,” Ozil told Arsenal Player.

“He’s not somebody who when he achieves something, thinks, ‘OK I can stop now, or I can go easy’.

“He always wants to be successful – he wants to defend titles and admired that.”

Ronaldo has now lifted four Champions League titles, matching that of fierce rival Lionel Messi as the two footballing freaks set unprecedented levels.

Against a side like Juventus, who only conceded one goal from open play leading up to the final, Ronaldo tour them to shreds. After netting the opening goal in brutal fashion, he also put the game to bed with the third in a 4-1 win.

One has to wonder if Ozil’s feeling a sense of ‘what if’ given what his former club has achieved since his departure.