Brazil great Ronaldo has responded to criticism by Fabio Capello, declaring that the Italian was "over the hill" during his second spell as coach of Real Madrid.
Capello earlier this week claimed Ronaldo was 6-8kg overweight when he turned up to pre-season training in July 2006 and was "a negative influence for the group", Xinhua reported.
In an interview with the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper on Tuesday, Ronaldo said Capello was unable to get through to Real Madrid's players, despite guiding the team to the 2006-07 La Liga title before being sacked.
"Capello was a great coach in his time, in the 90s," Ronaldo said.
"At Real Madrid he was already over the hill and had lost his ability to motivate. So much so that after that season he did not have success anywhere."
Following his departure from the Bernabeu, Capello had spells in charge of England and Russia, guiding them to the 2010 and 2014 World Cups respectively.
Ronaldo scored 83 goals in 127 appearances for Real Madrid from 2002 to 2007.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
