Dan Gaspar, the former assistant coach of the Portuguese national team, has highlighted what sets team captain Cristiano Ronaldo apart, describing him as an "exceptional professional".
Gaspar served as assistant to Carlos Queiroz and as goalkeeping coach for Portugal in 2009, and he worked with Ronaldo—now plying his trade at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia—at the 2010 World Cup.
In an upcoming interview with Koora, Gaspar stated, "Cristiano Ronaldo's greatness does not stem solely from his talent, but also from his discipline and his obsession with constant improvement."
The dual citizen coach added, "People see the goals and trophies, but they don't see the daily professionalism, the recovery routines, the competitive spirit, or the attention to the smallest details."
Gaspar, currently the goalkeeping coach for the Ghana national team, continued: "What sets great players apart is not just motivation on the big days, but maintaining world-class standards every single day."
He concluded, "Cristiano brings his body, mind and heart to work every day. That combination is rare and unique; he is an exceptional person and professional—the perfect warrior."
Cristiano Ronaldo was named on Tuesday in Portugal's squad for the 2026 World Cup, as he prepares to compete in the tournament for a record sixth time.
The forward is also poised to secure his first official title with Al-Nassr on Thursday, should his side defeat Damac in the Saudi Pro League's final round.