The Training That Changed Cristiano Ronaldo’s Game | Rene Meulensteen

The High Performance Podcast
Date: November 26, 2025
Host: Damien Hughes (with Producer Will and additional co-hosts)
Guest: Rene Meulensteen, former Manchester United coach

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the crucial role that language and mindset play in developing high performance—using Rene Meulensteen’s experience coaching Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United as a compelling case study. The discussion reveals how subtle shifts in language from "change" to "add," as well as reframing challenges and feedback, can unlock potential, build resilience, and foster extraordinary growth—not just in football, but in any field.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Language in High Performance

• Rene Meulensteen’s coaching excellence stemmed from his nuanced use of language and understanding of how people learn.

• He avoided the word "change" when coaching players, opting instead to use "add" to frame growth positively.

• Quote:

  “I never use the word change. … If we can add this to your game, you’re going to be a more complete player.”
  — Rene Meulensteen (05:17)

• The episode emphasizes how language choices can either shut someone down or open them up to growth and improvement.

2. Case Study: Transforming Cristiano Ronaldo

• When Ronaldo was suspended, Meulensteen seized the opportunity for deep work on his game, initially assessing Ronaldo’s own ambitions.

• Quote:

  “You want to be the best player in the world? Am I wrong? ... So you know where you are, you know where you want to go. What do we need to do to bring you closer to what you want to achieve?”
  — Rene Meulensteen (06:25)

• Together, they set ambitious new targets—Ronaldo wanted 30 goals, Meulensteen pushed for 40—and analyzed footage of legendary Manchester United strikers.

• The "penny dropped" for Ronaldo when he saw most goals were simple, scored inside the box.

• Quote:

  “You want to score the winning goal all the time, and the most beautiful goal. … What you need to do is become a goal scorer. Score as many as you can, and those two goals will be in it anyway.”
  — Rene Meulensteen (08:34)

• They mapped out the penalty area in training and built Ronaldo’s goal-scoring habits through precise scenario work, always using the motivating metaphor of an "imaginary rucksack" collecting clicks (goals) for every score.

3. Language Shapes Reality—Backing from Psychology

• The hosts reference Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer’s seminal psychology experiment (1974), showing how a single changed word about a car crash (“smashed” vs. “contacted”) changed both perception and memory.

• Quote:

  “Words are never neutral. They frame the reality that we face. They signal threat or safety.”
  — Damien Hughes (09:33)

• Language in coaching, business, and parenting should frame growth as addition, not correction, to avoid triggering defensiveness and resistance.

4. Essential Habits of High Performers

• Frame growth as addition, not correction.
• Use words that lower threat and raise possibility.
• Remember words shape memories and create trajectories for self-belief.
• Quote:

  “Great performance doesn’t start with tactics, but it starts with words.”
  — Damien Hughes (16:51)

Further Insights from the Manchester United Years

5. The Sir Alex Ferguson Blueprint (Flip Chart Philosophy)

• Ferguson’s vision for Manchester United boiled down to a single page of a flip chart:

  • Defend high and aggressively but with adaptability.
  • In possession, create “rhythm” and always think, look, and play forward.
  • Attack with “pace, power, penetration, and unpredictability.”
  • And when things don’t work: "we gamble"—especially in the last 10 minutes (“Fergie time”).

• Quote:

  “When I see Manchester United attack, I want to see us attack with pace, power, penetration, and unpredictability. ... If that doesn’t work, we gamble.”
  — Rene Meulensteen (24:00)

6. “Fergie Time” & Training for Crisis

• The myth of "Fergie time" was rooted not in luck but in deliberate, scenario-based training that prepared players mentally and tactically for late-game risk and relentless pursuit—what Peter Schmeichel called "Code Red".

• “Success isn’t an accident, it’s a design.” (26:21)

7. Deconstructing the Hairdryer Myth

• Contradicting popular legend, Ferguson rarely delivered the infamous “hairdryer” treatment; he was usually calm, supportive, and strategic, particularly in crisis.
• Quote:

  “In the six years ... I might maybe once or twice ... felt he raised his voice in another way. ... The biggest thing was this: ‘I know we’re going to score, but when we score one, we’re going to score three.’ That was just a masterstroke for me.”
  — Rene Meulensteen (28:19)

8. The Influence of Other Sports: Federer Moments

• Meulensteen shared a critical moment with Ferguson using Roger Federer’s ability to “reset” after setbacks; the lesson was to treat crucial matches and setbacks as a Federer moment—a reset point where past failures don’t decide the future.

• Quote:

  “This is the Federer moment, and this is where you are with Man United. … Everything before doesn’t matter if you win this point.”
  — Rene Meulensteen (34:15)

• The hosts compare this to how other teams (e.g., the All Blacks and Chicago Bulls) modeled their approach not just on peers or old achievements but on sustained, multi-sport excellence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Building Habits:
  “You have to imagine you’re carrying an imaginary rucksack on your back. … Every time you hit the net, there’s a click. … Goal scoring becomes such a normal thing for you.”
  — Rene Meulensteen (09:11)

• On Feedback:
  “Don’t mess this up creates a pressure. Show what you can do creates an energy.”
  — Damien Hughes (16:32)

• On Ferguson’s Man-Management:
  “The hallmark of a great leader is can you communicate what you stand for in a simple sentence?”
  — Podcast Co-host (21:53)

• On Managing Setbacks:
  “How are we gonna handle those moments where a setback occurs? … If you don’t train for the difficult times, it’s just a dream.”
  — Podcast Co-host (26:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Rene on language with players: 05:10 – 06:00
• Training Ronaldo to become a goal-scorer: 06:25 – 09:33
• Loftus & Palmer psychology study: 10:56 – 13:03
• Sir Alex Ferguson’s flip chart & philosophy: 22:39 – 25:01
• Fergie time and training for crisis: 25:51 – 28:19
• Deconstructing the hairdryer myth: 28:19 – 30:17
• Federer moment & cross-sport excellence: 33:16 – 36:26

Conclusion

The episode masterfully highlights how the art of high performance often hinges on the language and mindset with which we frame feedback, adversity, and aspiration. Rene Meulensteen’s stories of working with Ronaldo and under Ferguson offer tangible proof that high achievement isn’t a product of dramatic interventions or relentless correction, but of consistent, empowering communication that unlocks the best in each individual.

Takeaway:
Find your language. Start with words that build, not break. In football and life, the frame you choose changes everything.