Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo 'could not stand' one brutal training regime in his playing career

Al Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo “could not stand” the training regime of one of his former club teammates, according to personal trainer Javier Atalaya.

Ronaldo has often been highlighted for his fitness and chiselled physique, which has helped prolong his playing career and allowed him to compete at the top level.

Ronaldo, who signed for Al Nassr after his controversial Manchester United exit, prolific club playing career has seen him effortlessly hoover up major silverware.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner enjoyed a legendary spell at Real Madrid after his then-world-record move from United in 2009 for a £80m fee.

Ronaldo worked with Atalaya during his time in the Spanish capital, with the Portugal captain lifting two La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues with the club.

Atalaya has also linked up with Ronaldo’s former teammate Karim Benzema to help the Madrid captain maintain his form and fitness at the age of 35.

Benzema has been hit with injuries this season and left Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti in a precarious situation due to Los Blancos’ lack of striking options.

The 35-year-old Madrid striker limped off the pitch in Los Blancos’ 2-0 win over Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu last week.

Benzema was left out of Madrid’s 1-0 win over Mallorca on Sunday, with Ancelotti hopeful of the Frenchman’s return for their Champions League clash against Liverpool.

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• Al Nassr teammate explains negative impact Cristiano Ronaldo has had on the team

Atalaya has opened up on the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner’s training regime and how it has helped Benzema bounce back from injuries.

Benzema’s personal trainer dropped an update on the former France international’s condition, with Atalaya saying his mentality is “improving every day.”

Speaking on Benzema, Atalaya explained: “Karim is getting better every day. He is at home, without having anything to do, and he goes down to the gym to train.

Atalaya also emphasised Benzema’s intense training regime by insisting that not even United and Madrid legend Ronaldo could stand it.

“Even Cristiano could not stand the training that Benzema does,” he added.

Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Real Madrid, La Liga, Spain, Football

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz is a journalist for SPORTbible. He studied for a B.A. in History at the University of York and followed it up with an M.A. in Multimedia Journalism at MMU. Before he started writing about sports, he spent over four years in the gaming press. He has worked for several publications, including Hardcore Gamer, LADbible and the Manchester Evening News. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is working on next. Got a story tip for Adnan? Email him: [email protected]

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