Chelsea winger Noni Madueke once opened up about footballing icons who shaped his style and ambition, naming Cristiano Ronaldo as his most significant inspiration. He added that he tried to emulate Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe.
Cristiano Ronaldo‘s influence on young players around the world is no surprise. With his relentless work ethic, flair, and unmatched goal-scoring record, Ronaldo has become a global symbol of excellence in football.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN in 2024, Madueke said:
Noni Madueke joined Chelsea from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in 2023. He was quickly drafted into the first team at Stamford Bridge under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino. To date, he has scored 20 goals and provided nine assists for the West London club in 83 appearances across competitions.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, currently plies his trade outside Europe with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. Despite being past his prime, the 40-year-old has continued to strut his stuff in the Middle East. He is leading the way in the goalscoring chart in the Saudi top flight this season.
Former Chelsea winger Florent Malouda believes that it will be a wrong move for the Blues to sign Cristiano Ronaldo for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The revamped Club World Cup will kick off in June, and Malouda suggested that a potential move by Chelsea to sign the Portuguese superstar for the competition would not make sense from a sporting perspective.
The current FIFA rules will allow teams participating in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup to sign players without long-term contracts. As such, the Blues can theoretically take Cristiano Ronaldo along with them to the United States.
When asked if Chelsea should sign Ronaldo for the Club World Cup, Malouda told Racing Tipster in an exclusive interview
The Blues qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup following their Champions League triumph in 2021.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel’s journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles’ fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium’s incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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