Legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who didn’t mind taking up a fight against opponents during his playing days, didn’t even shy away from competing against teammates during pre-match football warm-ups. During his recent appearance on The Ranveer Show, he shared anecdotes about locking horns with the likes of Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Ashish Nehra, etc. while playing football before international matches.
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In the general run of things, a few coaches have expressed disapproval of pre-match football games as it increases the risk of injuries. However, it has become a commonly followed norm around the world. Yuvraj validated the concept in the name of fun-filled banter with teammates.
Yuvraj, however, once had a fight with Raina right before a match. As a result, then-head coach Gary Kirsten had to intervene in between. While Kirsten made peace between Yuvraj and Raina, his verbal debate with Kohli never really found a closure. Yuvraj, who considers himself as a better footballer than Kohli, refuses to believe till date that Kohli’s football skills are on par with the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Mere mein usse skill zyada hai football mein. Woh faadu batsman hai, footballer main better hoon [I am more skilled than Virat Kohli in football. He is a great batsman, but I am a better footballer],” Yuvraj said on TRS Hindi.
“He thinks he is Cristiano Ronaldo, but he’s not. In his cricket, yes he is. He is my hero, Cristiano. I think so [Kohli and Ronaldo sharing the same mentality], in terms of fitness and focus on the game, definitely there is a personality match.”
Unlike Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin Had Compared Virat Kohli To Cristiano Ronaldo In 2017
Unlike Yuvraj, ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had compared Kohli to Ronaldo after India’s victory over England in the second ODI at the Barabati Stadium in 2017. Hosting a rapid-fire round on bcci.tv, Ashwin had even compared Yuvraj to another world-class footballer.
“Virat Kohli, I think, is Cristiano Ronaldo. Yuvraj Singh is Fernando Torres, who sticks around the D and rise to get a header in,” Ashwin had said.
For the unversed, Yuvraj had played a career-best knock scoring 150 (127) in a 256-run fourth-wicket partnership alongside former captain MS Dhoni, who had also scored a century in Cuttack.
Considering the aura of both the players, comparing Kohli to Ronaldo is completely justified. An ardent admirer of the Portuguese player, Kohli has talked about finding Ronaldo relatable because of his unparalleled work ethic on multiple occasions. Arguably the best in his field, Ronaldo has himself acknowledged how he wasn’t a born talent but worked extremely hard over the years.
Although belonging to different sports, both Kohli and Ronaldo are among the fittest athletes of this generation. The two archetype superstars are also somewhat similar in terms of their media statements and on-field behaviour. No matter how well they perform on a regular basis, a few failures are enough for them to get bashed.
As far as Ashwin comparing Yuvraj to Fernando Torres, this one also fits well post Yuvraj’s aforementioned interview where he admitted that he prefers to stay inside the box and waits for the ball to finish. Not a fan of running around in the midfield, Yuvraj’s finishing can perhaps be also compared to his six-hitting skills.
At his peak, Torres, a consistent goal-scorer, was a similar player for Liverpool. For cricket fans, it is noteworthy that Torres was nicknamed “fox in the box” for possessing an ability to finish even the toughest of chances.
