Luis Filipe Gonçalves spent over a decade nurturing young talent at Sporting Clube de Portugal’s famed academy, where he witnessed the rise of one of football’s greatest players.
Here, he reflects on his time working with a young Cristiano Ronaldo and shares insights into the early signs of promise and the dedication that set Ronaldo apart as well as the crucial steps that shaped his journey to the top.
You coached at Sporting Clube de Portugal for many years in the academy and were at the club as Cristiano Ronaldo broke through into the first team. Was his talent evident from a very young age?
“I worked at Sporting for twelve years, from 1999 until 2011. I worked with Cristiano when he played for the B team at the club.
“I knew of him before I started working with him, as every coach at Sporting gave glowing reports about this young player coming through the system.
“From the age of eleven, the club believed that he would go on to become a first-team player – provided that he didn’t lose himself in the hype.
“But we didn’t have to worry about that. From a very young age, he was incredibly focused on football and had an unbelievable will to win. He always wanted to work hard, and even as a development player, he wanted to be the best.
“It was then up to us as a group of coaches to nurture his talent and help him on his path to becoming a top footballer.
“I am very proud of what he has gone on to achieve, and it is no surprise to me to see him still so focused at the age of 40.”
When was it decided that he would make the step up to the first team at Sporting?
“At the age of 16, it was clear that it was only a matter of time before he played for the first team.
“László Bölöni had him training with the first team just after his sixteenth birthday and was keen for him to play at that level straight away.
“However, we convinced him that it would be best to give Cristiano a short period of time in the B team to aid his development and smoothen the transition to the first team.
“He was only with us in the B team for six months before it became obvious that it was his time to play first-team football. It was remarkable how quickly he adapted, and how he has continued to adapt to new challenges throughout his career.
“I am proud of every player that I coach, and Cristiano is no exception. He is a great role model for young footballers, and I hope he continues to play at the highest level for as long as his body allows him to – because he is one of the greatest players to ever play football.”
Featured image: “Cristiano Ronaldo – Ballon d’Or (cropped)” by Anish Morarji from St Albans, England is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Callum McFadden 