Ronaldo’s adeptness in executing headers is amplified when he positions himself ideally, showcasing his remarkable vertical jump, prolonged air time, and sheer power, all of which combine to create a formidable challenge for defenders.
Despite having surpassed his prime, Cristiano Ronaldo persists in shattering records. Demonstrating this, on July 31, the Portuguese striker registered his 145th headed goal by expertly outclassing the Monastir defense in Tunisia. This accomplishment serves as yet another accolade in his illustrious career.
He climbed to the top of the list of football players with the most header goals in history thanks to the success. With his world-record-breaking header, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner defeated German star Gerd Muler and led Al Nassr to a 4-1 victory in the Arab Club Championship Cup game.
Ronaldo’s lightning-quick speed and exceptional agility made him a prodigy from an early age, but his heading skill did not stand out. The now-38-year-old, blessed with a 6’1″ stature, worked hard as a child to make sure that no one in the world could match him in aerial bouts.
Why Cristiano Ronaldo is so good with his headers
When Ronaldo is in the ideal position for his headers, three characteristics make him such a huge threat to defenders. His high-flying leap, his extraordinary hang time, and the power he produces.
The leap
Cristiano Ronaldo simply towers above everyone else when he jumps into the box. When he scored a header for Real Madrid against his former team Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League 2012–13, his greatest jump was recorded at an astounding 2.93m.
Because of his degree of fitness, he was still able to outperform everyone else even in the final stages of his career.
The football player underwent some biomechanical testing at the University of Chichester, and the findings showed that he could jump 7 cm higher than the typical basketball player.
The test findings revealed that Ronaldo could leap up to 78 cm in the air after a run up and could reach heights of 44 cm from a standing start. His strong thighs were cited by the study as the cause of this.
The ‘hang time’
The duration of an athlete’s hang time is defined by the Collins English Dictionary as their time in the air.
Ronaldo frequently astounds football fans with his feats of defying gravity. According to a story in the Telegraph, Ronaldo was hung in the air for almost 1.5 seconds after scoring a goal against Sampdoria in the 2019 Serie A. He’s hung in the air for approximately a second on multiple occasions.
For reference, the survey states that a human hangs out for 0.53 seconds on average. Given that a basketball player’s longest hang time is 0.92 seconds, Ronaldo’s figures are even more astounding.
Professor from the University of Chichester, Dr. Neal Smith, examined Ronaldo’s extraordinary leap.
Ronaldo’s suspension in the air following a jump is the longest of any football player, according to a Daily Mail story by Smith. Smith cited the fact that the Portuguese striker tucks his feet up during a jump to prolong his descent and lengthen his suspension in the air as one explanation.
The power
According to the above-mentioned University of Chichester study, Ronaldo experiences 5G of G-force upon takeoff. The great footballer’s long workout sessions in the gym to build his muscles give him this strength. According to a Daily Mail article, his thighs measure 62 cm in circumference.
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