THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IDOL

Ronaldo was a hero and inspiration for young Andros and now he’s relishing the chance to play against him

HE has idolised him, learnt from him and even played FIFA as him.

And today Andros Townsend finally gets to play against Cristiano Ronaldo.

Townsend was captivated by Ronaldo as a kid coming through the ranks at Tottenham’s academy. The Everton winger was mesmerised by his step-overs and knuckle ball and would spend hours on the training pitch trying to perfect his tricks.

“Him at Man United, that was my era growing up,” Townsend told Mirror Sport in a suite at Liverpool’s Titanic Hotel, speaking ahead of the launch of FIFA 22. “I’d just come

out of school, I was going into full-time football and he was at the top of his game.

“He was one of my idols, a player I looked at to improve my game. I wanted to copy the best player in the world. At that time, that was Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He was a winger who was tricky and quick, and invented things we hadn’t seen before, like the way he struck a ball for his knuckle ball, his step-overs. He got all of us on the training pitch trying to work out how he got so much movement on the ball with his knuckle ball, how he did stepovers that quick.”

It is clear from how passionately Townsend talks that the United star has been a major influence on him and he has been inspired by his rise

from humble beginnings in Madeira to become the world’s best player.

“Ronaldo was somebody I could identify with because, like him, I didn’t have the world at my feet at the age of 10, 11 or 12,” he said.

“Cristiano Ronaldo, when he came to

England, he was very raw. He had to work so hard to improve his game to the point where a few years later, he was the best player in the world.

“Someone like me, who dedicates myself to football, I appreciate someone like him because of all the hard work he’s put into his game.”

Townsend’s graft is paying off big time and he has scored four goals and made three assists to fuel Everton’s fine start.

Yet the rejuvenated wide man shot down my suggestion he rivals Ronaldo as the signing of the summer.

“I don’t think you can ever compare me with Cristiano Ronaldo in any way possible,” he said modestly. Shaping Townsend now is Rafa Benitez (both left) and the former Newcastle man gave an insight into how demanding the Everton boss is. Townsend, 30, revealed Benitez told him off after the recent win over Burnley, despite him scoring a screamer and making an assist. “After that game he came on the pitch and kind of had a go at me saying, ‘I didn’t want you to play wide, I wanted you to play inside and for your goal, 60 percent of goals are bottom corner’,” he explained. “During the week he was telling us 60 percent of goals go in the bottom corner, so when we got the ball, shoot bottom corner.

“I went top for my goal, so when I scored and got an assist, he didn’t pat me on the back and say,

‘Well done’. He’s still looking at ways to improve me, which is good because it keeps me on my toes.

He said, ‘Yes, you scored a great goal, but if you go bottom corner, you will ultimately have more success.

“Yes, you got the assist from out wide, but if we get you inside in the pocket, you will score more goals because you will be in better positions’.

“He grounded me straight away and I went into training that week thinking about what he said and how I can improve.”

Andros Townsend was speaking ahead of the launch of EA SPORTS FIFA 22 which is out NOW on Playstation 5, Xbox Series X|S and all other platforms. To order your copy, head to https://www.ea.com/ en-gb/games/fifa/ fifa-22/buy