Emmanuel Adebayor, former striker of Real Madrid
In January 2011, Real Madrid announced the loan signing of former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor from Manchester City until the end of the 2010/2011 season.
This move was prompted by then-Madrid coach Jose Mourinho’s desire to bolster his attack, as Gonzalo Higuain was sidelined with an injury and Karim Benzema was struggling to find form.
Adebayor’s playing time had significantly decreased under Roberto Mancini at Manchester City, and the Togolese striker saw this opportunity as a chance to revive his career.
With an option to buy included in the contract, Adebayor was determined to prove himself to the Madrid hierarchy.
Adebayor recalls hearing about Ronaldo’s exceptional professionalism before joining the team. Eager to demonstrate his own commitment, Adebayor decided to arrive at training two hours early, just a day after signing.
“When I first signed with Madrid, we all knew Cristiano Ronaldo was a professional – always on time,” Adebayor said. “I was told training would start at 10:30, so I made it a point to arrive around 8:30 or 8:45, giving myself at least two hours alone.”
However, Adebayor was in for a surprise. Upon arrival, he discovered that Ronaldo had already been there for three hours.
“I got there around 8:45, feeling proud to be the first to arrive and show my professionalism,” Adebayor humorously recounted. “But when I asked one of the physios about the noise downstairs, he told me it was Ronaldo swimming. I realized I wasn’t the first after all – I was second! When I approached Ronaldo to exchange greetings, I learned he had arrived at 7:30. I simply wished him good luck and left.”
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