Real Madrid Youth Player Explains Accidental Kick to Cristiano Ronaldo's Achilles

A Real Madrid youth player accidentally kicked Cristiano Ronaldo's Achilles tendon in a 2015 training session. This incident led to the player not being called up for the rest of the season.
By Newsroom | Sports, Football |

REAL MADRID YOUTH PLAYER’S CHRONICLE OF THE ACHILLES INCIDENT

A brief, sharp encounter in Real Madrid training, involving a young player named Manu Hernando and the club's prominent forward Cristiano Ronaldo, has resurfaced. Hernando, then a prospect from the academy, recounts an accidental kick that landed squarely on Ronaldo’s Achilles tendon. This incident, though brief, apparently sidelined him from first-team call-ups for the remainder of that season.

Hernando insists he was not permanently excluded from the club's plans and that injury prevented his participation in subsequent pre-season preparations. Reports circulating at the time, suggesting his career was derailed by this single event, are dismissed by Hernando as falsehoods. He currently plays for Racing Santander in Spain's second division.

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THE TRAINING GROUND CALAMITY

The episode unfolded during a training session where Hernando, though officially registered with the youth squad, frequently trained with the senior team. He had even participated in pre-season with the first team, a squad that included established stars like Sergio Ramos.

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"I touched the ball a little before me and I ended up kicking him in the Achilles tendon. … It's true that in the two or three months remaining of that season I wasn't called up again, but I returned the following summer."

Hernando describes the immediate aftermath as a moment of sheer panic: "My God, what have I done?!" He confirms he did not train again that year, attributing the lack of further first-team engagement to the remaining time in the season and the subsequent injury that hampered his availability for the next pre-season.

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SHATTERED NARRATIVES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

Despite the widely circulated stories painting the incident as a career-ending mistake, Hernando actively refutes them. He states that the club was indeed considering him for future engagements.

"There were also reports saying that I had never been called up to the first team again, that I had been excluded, and that's a lie. In fact, they were counting on me for the next pre-season, and I couldn’t go because of an injury, but they definitely had me in their plans."

BROADER CONTEXTS OF RONALDO’S TENURE

This anecdote about Hernando's training incident emerges amidst a wider tapestry of interactions and occurrences during Cristiano Ronaldo's impactful tenure at Real Madrid. These include earlier altercations and relationships that shaped his experience and departure from the club.

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FIERY BEGINNINGS AND UNEXPECTED BONDS

Ronaldo’s arrival at Real Madrid was not without its initial friction. Left-back Marcelo recounted that his first encounter with the Portuguese star was confrontational, even involving a physical clash where Ronaldo reportedly grabbed him by the neck.

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Despite this rocky start, Marcelo and Ronaldo forged one of the club's most formidable left-wing partnerships, a testament to how professional relationships can evolve beyond initial animosities. Marcelo, who eventually outlasted Ronaldo at the club, shared fond farewells upon the latter's departure, labelling him a "brother."

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OTHER TRAINING GROUND EPISODES

Beyond the Hernando incident, Ronaldo has been involved in other notable training ground events. During his first stint at Manchester United, he reportedly had a heated exchange with Ruud van Nistelrooy, an altercation that highlighted the intense atmosphere within the squad.

Separately, in a more benign incident while at Manchester United, Ronaldo reportedly struck a woman with a ball during warm-ups, later gifting her his jersey. This event occurred during his initial return to the club in 2021.

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THE UNTOLD REASON FOR DEPARTURE

Ronaldo himself has shed light on the reasons behind his eventual move from Real Madrid to Juventus. He suggested that a shift in his relationship with the club's hierarchy, coupled with a perceived stronger desire from Juventus to sign him, were the primary drivers for his exit in 2018.

"Sometimes I’d look at the news, where they were saying I was asking to leave. … The difference is that, at Juve, they really wanted me."

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happened between Manu Hernando and Cristiano Ronaldo in Real Madrid training?
In a 2015 training session, Manu Hernando accidentally kicked Cristiano Ronaldo on the Achilles tendon. Hernando was a youth player training with the senior team at the time.
Q: Did Manu Hernando's kick end his Real Madrid career?
No, Manu Hernando says this is not true. He was not called up for the rest of that season, but he returned the next summer and the club still had plans for him.
Q: Why did Manu Hernando miss further Real Madrid first-team call-ups after the incident?
Hernando stated that the remaining time in the season after the injury and a subsequent injury he suffered himself prevented him from joining pre-season training. He insists the club was still considering him.
Q: Where does Manu Hernando play now?
Manu Hernando currently plays for Racing Santander in Spain's second division. He has denied reports that the incident with Ronaldo ended his career at Real Madrid.
Q: Has Cristiano Ronaldo had other notable training ground incidents?
Yes, during his time at Manchester United, Ronaldo had a heated exchange with Ruud van Nistelrooy. He also once hit a woman with a ball during warm-ups but later gave her his jersey.