"He turns into this little boy again" - Portugal assistant coach details traits Cristiano Ronaldo possesses that make him a football GOAT

Portugal national team assistant coach Anthony Barry mentioned the traits that make Cristiano Ronaldo one of the greatest footballers of all time. The 39-year-old, who made his debut for Portugal in 2003, will take part in his 11th major international tournament at the 2024 Euros, which begins on Friday, June 14.

Anthony Barry, who started as the assistant coach for Portugal's national team in 2023, spoke about the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's mentality towards the game despite his age. He told Sky Sports (via GOAL):

"He is two years older than me, but he looks about seven years younger! How do you coach that? I think in two ways. Cristiano is always challenging himself, so Cristiano is never satisfied – there is not enough for Cristiano in the game. That is exactly why he has had the career he’s had."

"Secondly, for me there is always the next challenge in sport. We’re going into the Euros now and the challenge is to win it, the challenge is for Cristiano to be at his best level. It’s my job to give him that platform – give Cristiano the platform for the next five weeks to play his best football," Anthony Barry added.

The Selecao assistant coach described coaching Cristiano Ronaldo as a "privilege" and said:

"The challenges are always there in sport. Cristiano is, of course, a unique guy, a global icon, a football superstar and it’s a privilege, it’s never lost on you that you’re part of his journey and you get the platform and the privilege to coach him – that’s never lost on me. He has an amazing ability to walk out onto the pitch and he turns into this little boy again, still he can find the joy of a six, seven-year-old playing football – the excitement, the enjoyment."

Heaping praise on the Portugal national team captain, Anthony Barry concluded:

"His whole demeanour changes when he walks onto the pitch, and that’s an amazing ability to be able to have. Also put together with the other factors of this incredible level of discipline and patience and sacrifice. This combination of everything is what makes him one of, if not the greatest player of all-time."

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League with Portugal. He has a great chance to add another international trophy to the list in the upcoming tournament, which could possibly be his last one.

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Cristiano Ronaldo shares his opinion on Portugal's chances at 2024 Euros

Cristiano Ronaldo opened up about Portugal's chances at the Euros 2024. The 39-year-old forward seemed to be optimistic about his nation's prospects in this year's championship and said (via TimelineCR7):

"Talent alone isn't enough to win. We have all the ingredients, but we'll take it one step at a time, believing we can win. Our 2016 achievement was historic. Now, our feet are on the ground, but our mind is up in the sky, seeing it's possible to win the EURO."

Cristiano Ronaldo also spoke confidently about his teammates in the Portugal squad and said:

"I firmly believe that this team will bring a lot of joy to the Portuguese fans, beginning with this EURO. However, the best generation of players are always those who win (trophies). I hope this national team will win. It's an incredibly talented squad."

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 130 goals and provided 46 assists in 207 appearances for Portugal.