Ronaldo refuses to reveal the secret trick that enables him to hit the ball at such a ferocious pace, while still ensuring it dips enough to hit the target, but he did explain the meticulous routine that leads up to his showstoppers.
"I can state only the success or failure at the moment of taking the free-kick is directly related to the position of the body, the way one runs towards the ball and the way one positions one's feet. At that moment, I think only about which side of the net I'm going to aim for.
"I look at the ball, I look at the net and I say to myself 'take the kick, Ronaldo', then I shoot. Sometimes it ends well, sometimes not so well.
"At United we have Ryan Giggs - who is very good at taking free-kicks - Wayne Rooney and me. In the Portuguese national team, besides myself, there is Simao, Deco and Petit.
"It all depends on where the foul was committed and the area of the field where that particular player excels in their own direct free-kicks."
