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AWAITED THREAD
In early 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo was diagnosed with a chronic knee condition called tendinosis. It's a heavy injury that has no cure and gets worse over time.
In early 2014, Cristiano Ronaldo was diagnosed with a chronic knee condition called tendinosis. It's a heavy injury that has no cure and gets worse over time.
This injury is responsible for Cristiano's sudden decline at 29, not his age.
First I will explain the injury, then its impact on football with proof (stats).
First I will explain the injury, then its impact on football with proof (stats).
Tendinosis produces pain, stiffness and swelling in a tendon. However, it usually develops gradually as a result of long-term overuse—after many microtears over a long period of time.
Its not inflammation, it's degeneration. There is a thing called 'collagen' which rebuilds your fibers after overusing them...Tendinosis weakens your collagen EVERYTIME you use your knee. 
This means your knee cannot fully recover after exercise.
This means your knee cannot fully recover after exercise.
This also means the weaker your collagen gets, the longer and more difficult the healing process.
Basically, the more Ronaldo plays football, the weaker his knee gets regardless of age/diet/therapy/work ethic.
Basically, the more Ronaldo plays football, the weaker his knee gets regardless of age/diet/therapy/work ethic.
His knee is LITERALLY degenerating every time he runs. He cannot stop or reverse the process. The best he can do is slow it down.
Ronaldo spent 6 hours a day working on his knee. These six hours aren't even part of his other physical exercises, or football practice.
JUST HIS KNEE. 6 HOURS A DAY.
WHAT KIND OF MENTALITY MUST YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS??? I WOULD RATHER END MY CAREER.
JUST HIS KNEE. 6 HOURS A DAY.
WHAT KIND OF MENTALITY MUST YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS??? I WOULD RATHER END MY CAREER.
Best solution to the injury? (No cure yet)
It is reccommended to rest the knee for 8 months to completely heal this injury (and even then its not 100%, but maybe 95% healed).
Rafa Nadal had tendinosis and was forced to stay eight months out of tennis.
It is reccommended to rest the knee for 8 months to completely heal this injury (and even then its not 100%, but maybe 95% healed).
Rafa Nadal had tendinosis and was forced to stay eight months out of tennis.
8 months is not possible for Crisitano because wants to play, and he would miss most of the upcoming 14/15 season. However, if he rested it for even 3 months it would have made an improvement as the Real Madrid doctors said. Ronaldo denied and wanted to play the UCL final + WC 
FINALLY, THE MOMENT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. 
Now the juicy part.
How did this ultimately affect his performances?
We will compare the types of goals he scored in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons.
Now the juicy part.
How did this ultimately affect his performances?We will compare the types of goals he scored in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons.
As you can see, he used to score more free kicks, longshots and solo goals. 
In 14/15 all of those stats declined but his header goals increased MASSIVELY.
This is proof that he started focusing on his heading ability because his dribbling is AWFUL. ONLY 2 DRIBBLE GOALS.
In 14/15 all of those stats declined but his header goals increased MASSIVELY.
This is proof that he started focusing on his heading ability because his dribbling is AWFUL. ONLY 2 DRIBBLE GOALS.
Lets be a little more accurate now.
His injury became a real issue after Madrid beat Bayern 4-0. So lets see how well he did in the year of 2014, BEFORE and AFTER, the Bayern game.
His injury became a real issue after Madrid beat Bayern 4-0. So lets see how well he did in the year of 2014, BEFORE and AFTER, the Bayern game.
0 FKs and 2 dribble goals in 6 months. 
This is what the injury did to him.
Right before the injury, he had 3 FKs and 10 dribble goals in ONLY 4 months.
This is what the injury did to him.Right before the injury, he had 3 FKs and 10 dribble goals in ONLY 4 months.
Ronaldo clashed with Payet on the same injured knee, forcing him to be stretched out of the final. This clash did not hit the same area where he was injured, but it damaged his knee ligament, making his knee overall weaker than before.
And the decline got worse...
And the decline got worse...
Ronaldo was the BEST most COMPLETE player in the world in 2013, before the injury even started.
End of thread.
End of thread.
IMPORTANTTo those who think "age" affected Ronaldo EVEN after reading this thread...
This is Messi at the same age as Ronaldo (29). BEFORE v AFTER.
Why didn't Messi's stats decline as he got old? He kept improving actually, so Ronaldo would have as well.
IMPORTANTThis is Ronaldo BEFORE v AFTER knee injury:
You see the difference? Both same age, but Ronaldo declined while Messi improved. The difference is not age, its the injury.
