The Science Behind Ronaldo’s Freekick Decline

There was once a time when Cristiano Ronaldo was the undisputed king of the knuckleball… However, that era is long gone, with the Portuguese icon now having one of the worst freekick goal ratios in all of professional football. But, is it really his fault? Just how big a role do you think his 2014 tendinosis diagnosis played in the decline of his famous knuckleball technique? For me—it’s everything—with his shot-power being particularly affected. #ronaldo #football #skills #soccer #freekick #goals #cr7 #sports #power #gym #technique #portugal🇵🇹 #cristiano #science #futbol

[Connordrs]

This was also why the jabulani behaved so ridiculously, it's insanely spherical shape gave it a drag crisis speed of just 50 mph, meaning normal shots and long passes behaved like you'd expect an 80 mph knuckleball to behave

[yodaheabebe]

The fact that He never once mentioned his knee injury publicly makes me respect him! 🙌

[Crazymexicano]

Its crazy to think that he entered his most iconic years after being diagnosed. True goat

[therealists]

He’s never once used the knee as an excuse although the whole world knows about it.

[diulikadikaday]

He was reinvented to become a striker so he didn’t have to take so many long shots, but could focus on getting himself in good positions and finishing team chances. That’s how his scoring stats massively increased too. Smart move.

[guydangerous]

Had a heart Sergey
Still one of the fastest Footballer 💀
Had a complex knee injury
Still one of greatest power shooter 💀

Bro is Programmed to dominate 💀🙌🏼

[gilvinofaria]

Bro was so good that had to get nerfed 💀🗿

[BekhanKhaloukhaev]

The fact that I never knew it makes him the goat for me

[templeosigwe]

Knee trouble was no excuse for CR7. A great man indeed.

[merertea]

Even after having knee problems, he can still score goals no like other till this day

[emonsaikia]

How tf did a guy with tendinosis become the highest goal scorer of all time.?

[XeqtrM]

Finally someone talks about it thanks:)

[Mitchzilla-hu]

I think if Ronaldo didn't get diagnosed with Tendinosis he would been one of the best Free-kick takers of all time (and his conversion rate of free-kicks would've been much better).

[flashyred]

I've forgotten the which brand it was but it's either addidas or nike, I remember hearing it on the news thay they wrre changing their ball design and it was said that the design was anti-knuckle ball effect. It was talked about how it would affwct players like CR7 who shot free kicks using the effect.

[StayCuriouss.s]

Brands changed the aerodynamic design of the balls, that why there really no more knuckle ball

[Stealthbwoy]

It’s a wild technique and there could be other factors like ball technology because they want the ball to fly in a certain way. Messi used to be awful at free kicks but he honed his skill and takes a good classic instep curler now. Ronaldo is wild and does everything but his the target. The greatest was Juninho of Lyon.

[vijaynair]

I’ve always been amazed at how kickers could do that.
As someone who played a little baseball, I can manipulate pitches and how they spin to a certain extent.
But I feel that fingers are something that we have a better control of. To do it with your foot, leg and toes…is pretty amazing.

[RJL]

Imagine if he didnt get ACL (Knee Injury) in 2014 he would be a better dribbler and skiller and better free kick taker but he would have less goals and more assist and he would be a better playmaker and he probably could run even far faster than his record and maybe more thing will chance

[username]

it is not the case
ronaldo never said his injury impacted his football at all, it's a claim made by his fans for some reasons

[zatomb]

By stats 2014-2015 was his best year ever at scoring and he was still pretty good for years after that. All players decline physically after 30 except maybe Lebron