---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive the…"
description: "\"“Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive the ball, turn round and run towards goal – and he always found space as the centre backs didn’t follow him close..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/guillem-balague-2956_football_ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the_21387.jpg"
---

#  Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive the ball, turn round…

![“Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive the ball, turn round and run towards goal – and he always found space as the centre backs didn’t follow him closely.” quote by Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/guillem-balague-2956_football_ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the_21387.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/guillem-balague-2956_football_ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the_21387.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/guillem-balague-2956_football_ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the_21387.jpg)

> ““Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive the ball, turn round and run towards goal – and he always found space as the centre backs didn’t follow him closely.””

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Ronaldo exploits defensive gaps by dropping deep, creating space, and then attacking decisively.

**In simple terms:** Exploiting defensive lapses.

Key Takeaway

Drop deep to open lanes.

Themes

spatial awareness offensive timing defensive positioning movement space creation

Mood

analytical strategic

Type

tactical observation player analysis

When to use this quote

- counter‑attack
- set‑piece transition
- midfield overload

Key Concepts

space exploitation ball control run into space

Practical Applications

- coaching drills for dropping deep
- tactical analysis of opponent shape

Questions to Reflect On

- How can a team anticipate and cover such drops?
- What signals indicate a defender is out of position?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/)

## Related quotes

> [“She couldn't have told you whether it was because she was afraid, or because such a voice in the darkness seemed of necessity a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-couldn-t-have-told-you-whether-it-was-because-she-was-afraid-or/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“Pep had analysed Real Madrid in detail and, an hour and a half before the game, he got Messi, Xavi and Iniesta together: ‘You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/pep-had-analysed-real-madrid-in-detail-and-an-hour-and-a-half-before/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [The one place centre backs don't want to be taken is backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sutton/the-one-place-centre-backs-don-t-want-to-be-taken-is-backwards/)

[Chris Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sutton/)

> [If I watch big games like the Champions League on TV then I'm definitely watching what different centre-backs are doing in certain situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/if-i-watch-big-games-like-the-champions-league-on-tv-then-i-m/)

[Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/)

> [Great keepers and centre-backs were what the English were brought up on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-adams/great-keepers-and-centre-backs-were-what-the-english-were-brought-up/)

[Tony Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-adams/)

> [Some of the centre-backs are 90 kg. I'm only 70-something kilos - so I need to be strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-welbeck/some-of-the-centre-backs-are-90-kg-i-m-only-70-something-kilos-so-i/)

[Danny Welbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-welbeck/)

> [Centre-backs with good technique can move the ball forward, even when under pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-silva/centre-backs-with-good-technique-can-move-the-ball-forward-even-when/)

[Thiago Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-silva/)

> [The two centre-backs, Rob Huth and Wes Morgan, are in many ways journeyman pros, but they have that wonderful attitude and never-say-die spirit that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/the-two-centre-backs-rob-huth-and-wes-morgan-are-in-many-ways/)

[Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/)

> [Right backs now should be the highest paid players in every team! Strikers just have to score. Midfielders, they pass. Goalkeepers make saves. Full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cafu/right-backs-now-should-be-the-highest-paid-players-in-every-team/)

[Cafu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cafu/)

> [I think it's a natural progression: a lot of centre-backs start wide when they're young and move inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-gomez/i-think-it-s-a-natural-progression-a-lot-of-centre-backs-start-wide/)

[Joe Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-gomez/)

> [Porto prepared me really well and this didn't go unnoticed in Spain, as before I went to Real Madrid the club were known as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepe/porto-prepared-me-really-well-and-this-didn-t-go-unnoticed-in-spain/)

[Pepe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pepe/)

> [To be one of the most expensive centre-backs makes one feel proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-otamendi/to-be-one-of-the-most-expensive-centre-backs-makes-one-feel-proud/)

[Nicolas Otamendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-otamendi/)

> [If you've got Godin and Chiellini as your centre-backs, then you can have more attacking full-backs, as opposed to defensive ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nicol/if-you-ve-got-godin-and-chiellini-as-your-centre-backs-then-you-can/)

[Steve Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nicol/)

> [Koulibaly was always one of my favourite centre-backs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-marsch/koulibaly-was-always-one-of-my-favourite-centre-backs/)

[Jesse Marsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-marsch/)

> [There are those who condemn five in midfield as a negative tactic, but when a side's centre-backs are as hapless as Chris Perry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-engel/there-are-those-who-condemn-five-in-midfield-as-a-negative-tactic-but/)

[Matthew Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-engel/)

## More by Guillem Balague

> [“The German team became more German than ever. They used in their performance the ‘Mia San Mia’ motto that the players wear on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/the-german-team-became-more-german-than-ever-they-used-in-their/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“Before heading out on to the pitch, Johan Cruyff gave his players a simple instruction: ‘Go out there and enjoy yourselves.’ It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/before-heading-out-on-to-the-pitch-johan-cruyff-gave-his-players-a/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“It is better for a player to lose the ball when he is dribbling, feeling over-confident, than for a blunder, a mistake due to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/it-is-better-for-a-player-to-lose-the-ball-when-he-is-dribbling/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“We have to transmit trust and security in all the decisions we make. ‘That trust, security and sincerity are the fundamental pillars for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/we-have-to-transmit-trust-and-security-in-all-the-decisions-we-make/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“On one occasion Guardiola explained that there are two types of coaches: those who think problems solve themselves and those who solve problems. Guardiola…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/on-one-occasion-guardiola-explained-that-there-are-two-types-of/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“He could live with them playing badly now and again, he told them, but he demanded 100 per cent on the pitch in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/he-could-live-with-them-playing-badly-now-and-again-he-told-them-but/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“The coach sat down with president Laporta, Beguiristain and Estiarte in the suite of the hotel in which the team were staying in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/the-coach-sat-down-with-president-laporta-beguiristain-and-estiarte/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“Failure is when a player does not have a good training session, when the coach relaxes and stops caring, when the team doesn’t care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/failure-is-when-a-player-does-not-have-a-good-training-session-when/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“Ingla and Txiki set out a plan for the rest of the season which saw them working and consulting simultaneously with both Rijkaard and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/ingla-and-txiki-set-out-a-plan-for-the-rest-of-the-season-which-saw/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“Searching for that flash of inspiration, that moment, the magical moment: ‘I’ve got it. I’ve got it. This is how we are going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/searching-for-that-flash-of-inspiration-that-moment-the-magical/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“The players who go through La Masía are taught to behave with civility and humility. The theory being that, not only is it pleasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/the-players-who-go-through-la-mas-a-are-taught-to-behave-with/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“In future they must place themselves more cleverly to receive the pass, and to start pressuring their opponents more quickly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/in-future-they-must-place-themselves-more-cleverly-to-receive-the/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“I saw Guardiola as a mystical type of person. The way he dressed – always in black – he was sometimes very quiet, constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/i-saw-guardiola-as-a-mystical-type-of-person-the-way-he-dressed/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“What you can’t do is study the talks, learn them by heart. Two or three concepts are all you need . . . and then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/what-you-can-t-do-is-study-the-talks-learn-them-by-heart-two-or-three/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

> [“He wanted players who controlled the ball with their first touch, who had quick feet, who retained the ball and created superiority from individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/he-wanted-players-who-controlled-the-ball-with-their-first-touch-who/)

[Guillem Balague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

[Explore all 142 Guillem Balague quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/)

## More Football quotes

> [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/)

[Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/)

> [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/)

[Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/)

> [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/)

Brendan Mundorf

> [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/)

[Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/)

> [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/)

[Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/)

> [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/)

[Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/)

[Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/)

> [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/)

[Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/)

> [“Wild card, got it," Duncan said. "Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/)

[Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/)

> [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/)

[Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/)

> [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/)

[Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/)

> [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/)

[Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/)

> [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/)

[Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/)

> [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

[Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive the ball, turn round and run towards goal – and he always found space as the centre backs didn’t follow him closely.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Guillem Balague"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the-ball-turn-round-and-run/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Football"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the-ball-turn-round-and-run/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/guillem-balague-2956_football_ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the_21387.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/guillem-balague-2956_football_ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the_21387.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/guillem-balague-2956_football_ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the_21387.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive the ball, turn round and run towards goal – and he always found space…” — Guillem Balague",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Guillem Balague",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillem-balague/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Ronaldo also dropped deep to receive...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the-ball-turn-round-and-run/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillem-balague/ronaldo-also-dropped-deep-to-receive-the-ball-turn-round-and-run/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
