Indian men’s hockey team striker Abhishek Nain opened up about his admiration for legendary Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, citing the football icon’s influence on his playing style and mindset, despite his childhood coach wanting him to emulate Lionel Messi.

In a recent interaction with PTI, the 26-year-old striker from Sonipat shared that his early hockey mentor, Shamsher Dahiya, was a passionate Messi supporter who tried to shape his game in the image of the Argentine playmaker. However, Abhishek gravitated toward Ronaldo’s playing style and mentality.