Ronaldo Nazário de Lima, known professionally as Ronaldo and nicknamed O Fenômeno (The Phenomenon), said he believes footballers now have it easier on the training ground, pointing to major improvements in how players are prepared physically.
“Players suffer less than we suffered before because the training now is 100 times more effective than before,” Ronaldo said while speaking at the World Sports Summit.
The Brazilian great, one of the most feared strikers in football history, recalled how pre-season training during his playing career was often rigid and physically punishing, with little consideration for positional differences or individual needs.
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“I was not happy doing pre-season because they put me running with Roberto Carlos, with Cafu, and they are crazy about running 10 to 15km,” he said.
Ronaldo explained that such training methods were ill suited to his role as a striker, whose game relied on short bursts of speed rather than endurance running. “I played for 20-metre, 15-metre sprints, and pre-season was the worst time of my life,” he said.
According to Ronaldo, modern training methods have moved away from uniform programmes and toward more specific preparation, allowing players to train more efficiently. “If you strike, you don’t need to run like 10km,” he said. “You do that one time, and after that you go through training specific to you.”
Ronaldo added that advancements in physical preparation have reduced unnecessary physical strain compared to previous generations. “The training now is 100 times more effective than before,” he said.
Now working on the administrative side of football, Ronaldo said he shares those perspectives with players, noting that training approaches must adapt to the individual.
Ronaldo retired from professional football in 2011 after a career that included spells at Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. While he did not attend university, he said his education came through football itself.
During football’s evolution, Ronaldo said the shift toward smarter and more targeted training stands out as one of the most significant improvements in the modern game.
