SUMMARY
- Rafael Leao of AC Milan is among those who hailed the Al Nassr star as an idol. Leao now has high expectations for his team AC Milan as well.
- Rafael Leao admires and aims to be like Cristiano Ronaldo, but without his selfish qualities.
Without question, the next generation of soccer players has been motivated to dream big by the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo. Rafael Leao of AC Milan is among those who hailed the Al Nassr star as an idol. Leao now has high expectations for his team AC Milan as well.
Rafael Leao acknowledges that he aspires to be as successful as Cristiano Ronaldo, but he quickly clarifies that he lacks his idol’s “selfish” qualities. Leao has been more well-known over the last two seasons and is now regarded as one of the players, along with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, who will rule the soccer world in the future.
🚨🚨🎙️| Rafael Leão: “My idol? Cristiano Ronaldo. I can get to his levels, but I’m not a selfish player.”
[via @DiMarzio] pic.twitter.com/04xj1fSWYX
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) January 1, 2024
In a recent interview, he said, “My idol? Cristiano Ronaldo. I can get to his levels, but I’m not a selfish player. I can score goals, but if there is a mate I’ll pass it on to him. Right now the numbers make the difference, because Mbappé, Messi, Haaland, Ronaldo are at a high level, the numbers speak for them.”
According to Transfermarkt, during this particular era, the Portugal international has contributed 58 goals (30 goals and 28 assists), including 14 goals and 12 assists during AC Milan’s 2021–22 Scudetto-winning season. He is one of the most exciting prospects emerging in soccer and already has experts and fans rooting for him.
Rafael Leao shares his thoughts on being AC Milan’s captain
As simple as it may seem, the 24-year-old Leao hopes to lead this historic club permanently in the future, but this is no simple feat. It seems that Ronaldo’s passion and winning attitude have influenced his countryman. Regarding the Milan player, however, his ability to excel as a leader and elite player is undeniable.
AC Milan had several injury concerns when the season first began. Finally, it resulted in manager Stefano Pioli giving Rafael Leao the captain’s armband for the match against Verona. The decisive strike in the 1-0 victory was scored by the forward, who did not let everyone down. However, just like his idol, the Portuguese forward has his sights focused on something extraordinary.
#SerieA | @acmilan, #Leao a @SkySport: “Il #Milan mi ha aiutato a essere un giocatore di livello. Anche se non sarà facile diventare capitano, è una gioia giocare con questa maglia. Il mio idolo? Cristiano #Ronaldo, posso arrivare ai suoi livelli” https://t.co/cHXFCaItLq
— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) January 1, 2024
He also shared his thoughts regarding the captaincy recently in an interview, Leao said, “It was a source of pride for me because I’ve been here for a long time. Milan has helped me to be a level player. Even if it won’t be easy to be captain, it’s a joy to play with the Milan shirt.”
Rafael Leao has only managed three goals and four assists in 15 league games this season, not exactly the ideal start to the campaign. Nonetheless, he plays a crucial role in Stefano Pioli’s creation. AC Milan is still conscious of the fact that he must improve if he hopes to hold the position of permanent captain. However, Leao’s future with the Italian giants is safe and they consider him as one of their stars.