Former physio likens ‘ridiculous’ Liverpool player to Ronaldo
Former Manchester City physio Paul Webster claims that Liverpool midfielder James Milner is a “bit like” Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Milner is still going strong at the age of 36 for the Reds with the versatile former City man already playing 17 times for Jurgen Klopp’s side this season.
The Leeds-born midfielder has played 792 times in all competitions in a career spanning 19 years for six different clubs.
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Former City sports therapist Webster worked with Milner for five years at the Etihad Stadium and he has hailed the Liverpool midfielder as the “whole package”.
“It’s the little things that he does every day that make up a whole package,” Webster told GOAL. “When I see him play now, it’s like time hasn’t moved on; he’s like he was 10 years ago.
“James is probably a little bit more pedantic in his food and his drink and what he does in his general lifestyle, but that’s not to take anything away from some of the other players that would come in and work just as hard.
“But, originally, James’ overall package is what I noticed.”
Liverpool’s equaliser was the first goal in their history where scorer (Kaide Gordon, 17) and assister (Conor Bradley, 18) had a combined age that is younger than James Milner (now 36).
— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) January 9, 2022
Ronaldo, who has scored 688 goals in 918 matches in his career, is often seen as the example to follow for other footballers with his diet and the way he looks after himself.
And Webster thinks Liverpool veteran Milner is quite similar to Ronaldo with “his general behaviour and his internal discipline”.
Webster added: “I watched him (Milner) against Chelsea and he was probably one of the fittest on the pitch. He looks young, he looks fit, he’s probably got eight per cent body fat or something ridiculous.
“He’s a bit like Ronaldo. I’ve never worked with Ronaldo, but I know people that have and I get the same impression. It’s all the little things that add up, and they have more little things to add up.
“It’s everything: drinking, James doesn’t touch alcohol; food, he’s meticulous with how much he eats; his timekeeping is perfect; he has goals – he wants to be fitter and stronger as months go by; his general behaviour and his internal discipline.
“It’s no surprise to me whatsoever that he’s still playing, and he’ll roll on for another few years yet.”
