Portugal’s captain entered a flow state during the penalty shoot-out.

Cristiano Ronaldo entered a flow state and dropped his heart rate, just moments before converting a penalty in Portugal’s dramatic last-16 win over Slovenia.

The 39-year-old forward, who is renowned for his extraordinary discipline and work ethic, both on and off the pitch, has partnered with human performance company WHOOP ahead of Euro 2024.

Ronaldo wears the WHOOP band while training, sleeping, and recovering, and says it has had a “transformative impact” on his life.

 

In fact, he says it has been one of the most important tools to not only help elevate his game, but monitor his health on a day-to-day basis.

After describing the tool as something he cannot live without in order to perform at his peak, Ronaldo gave us an insight into his heart rate when he wore the band on Monday night.

As you can see from the graphic below, his heart rate was at its lowest level when he took Portugal’s first penalty in the shoot-out win over Slovenia.

 

It’s safe to say the Al Nassr forward has no plans of slowing down at the age of 39. He recently opened up on how he remains disciplined.

“My biggest motivation is to carry on,” he said on the WHOOP Podcast in May.

“It’s not easy to be at this level. To still push, to still motivate, to carry on, to score goals, to be in good shape, to compete with the young lions that are coming and that when they play against me, they want to show me that they are stronger and faster than me.

“You have to prepare very well not just physically but mentally, too. This is the challenge.”

Image credit: WHOOP

Ronaldo added: “Talent without work is nothing and work without talent is nothing.

 

“They have to work together at the same time. I have both. I can’t say that I have more of one than the other.

“Small details will make the difference. Consistency is the most difficult thing.

“Are you willing to do that? That’s the main point because everyone wants to be Cristiano, but doing it is difficult. Discipline is the most difficult thing.

“I fight against my mind sometimes, we are all human beings. Of course, I don’t like going to the gym every day, no one does, but you have to do it.”

 

Opening game win 🤝 100% Sleep Performance @VirgilvDijk showed up Recovered and ready to take on – and win – his opening game at the Euros. Congrats captain and Oranje 🧡 pic.twitter.com/cHHAyBxUvS

— WHOOP (@WHOOP) June 16, 2024

Virgil van Dijk, who is another global ambassador for the wearable fitness brand, has also shared sleep and recovery insights across the tournament in Germany.

Ahead of the Netherlands’ opener against Poland, for example, Van Dijk’s sleep performance [8 hours and 17 minutes] was recorded, as seen below.