Greenwood: I practiced Ronaldo’s stepover all the time as a kid
Mason Greenwood missed out on the Euros with injury but has been back at Carrington this week to start pre-season training before going with the squad to the training camp in Surrey.
Ahead of the season starting, Greenwood has answered a few fans’ questions for the official website. When asked who his most challenging opponent is, our young forward singled out Fulham’s Joe Bryan.
It might be a surprising one, but do you know Bryan, the one for Fulham? He allowed me no space, no time on the ball, when we played them home and away. It was one of my most difficult games for us. He’s one you probably wouldn’t think I’d say his name, but he was getting tight to me and not giving me much space. He was a good defender and he was probably my toughest challenge.
Bryan jokingly responded on social media with: what’s he been drinking then?
Greenwood also revealed that he has several pre-match superstitions and shared a few of them.
I’ve got quite a few of them, to be honest. I put everything on my right foot first and then my left foot. I do that all the time. I’ve just got a few little things like I will tie my laces where my shorts are, just before kick-off starts, and I will pull my socks up. I’ve got lots of little things but I’ll be here all day if you wanted to talk about them all!
When asked who he prefers out of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Greenwood picked the Barcelona man. But his favourite piece of skill is the stepover which he learnt from the Brazilian Ronaldo.
For me, it’s always got to be Messi. For me, he’s just on another planet. Ronaldo is obviously amazing, a physical, great athletic footballer. But to do what Messi does at his size, what he’s done for Barcelona and winning that trophy for Argentina, he is just on another level.
My favourite skill move was the stepover and I still use it to this day. It’s my favourite skill move. I used to watch the Brazilian Ronaldo, as he would always pull one out on the goalkeepers and defenders. I used to practice at the parks and stuff and used to do it in training sessions, then that would lead on to games. And, now, it’s just stuck with me, it’s a little skill move that I practice.
As a fan of athletics when he was younger, he picked fellow United fan Usain Bolt as the one Olympian he would love to meet.
For me, it’s got to be Usain Bolt. I used to love my athletics when I was younger. I used to love watching it with my parents and two sisters. He is a good inspiration, a world leader in what he used to do. It’s probably him.