Dejan Kulusevski reveals advice Cristiano Ronaldo once gave him while at Juventus – but the Tottenham star took four years to digest it

Dejan Kulusevski has revealed the advice Cristiano Ronaldo gave him while he was at Juventus that took him four years to understand.

Kulusevski played alongside Ronaldo for the Old Lady in the 2020-21 season before the latter returned to Manchester United.

The Swede signed for the Italian giants at just 20 years old and was taken in by Ronaldo, who was in his third season at the club.

While both were at the club, Ronaldo gave Kulusevski seven pieces of advice that the midfielder remembers to this day.

“I’m starting to get to know my body,” Kulusevski said. “When I was younger, I didn’t understand when Ronaldo told me: ‘You will know your body.’ Because then I didn’t know my body.

Kulusevski has been in very good form for Tottenham of late as he adapts to a new role.

‘But now I’m starting to understand my strengths and weaknesses, how I can improve. So I feel like everything is getting easier.

‘I know how to train the day before a game, two days before a game, what to do when I’m tired, etc. All the little details that make a big difference in the end.’

Now in his fourth season at Tottenham, Kulusevski has impressed in his new role under Ange Postecoglou this season.

Postecoglou has moved the 24-year-old from his usual position on the right wing to a more central role in midfield.

Kulusevski’s performance in the 3-0 away win against Manchester United, in which he scored a goal, demonstrated his progress and maturity under the Australian coach.

And the Swede’s recent success could be due in part to his renewed understanding of the advice Ronaldo once gave him.

“Not settling for being good, but being the best every day,” he added. ‘That’s the only thing that matters, no matter how hard it is to try to be the best.

‘I think over time you learn, you start to understand a lot more about how the world and the brain work. You can’t be 17 and know everything.

Ange Postecoglou (left) has used Kulusevski as a midfielder instead of a full-back

Despite giving advice to young people, Ronaldo does not want to be a coach in the future

Although Ronaldo has shared his wisdom with youth players throughout his career, last month he revealed that he has no intention of becoming a coach.

“It will be difficult for me to be a coach one day, because I have no passion for this generation,” Ronaldo said in the Rio Ferdinand presents podcast.

“It’s difficult, especially in football, because they don’t follow the advice of our experience. They think they know everything, they think phones will give you a good education, TikTok, Instagram.

‘I have other things to worry about, another chapter of my life that is a business part that excites me.

“It will be a challenge for me to learn other areas that I don’t know, to get more involved in my business and I think it will be good.”