Nick Littlehales spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo's sleep and recovery approach in an interview published on 26 October, and recalled time around Real Madrid's training facilities at Valdebebas. He also addressed the issue of sleeping tablets among players.
What Littlehales said about Ronaldo
Littlehales said: "Ronaldo was an athlete beyond compare. He consistently invested time and money into recovery methods that other players ignored. As social media grew, he started speaking openly about his sleep habits, sleeping in 90-minute cycles, taking five cycles a day, and posting about it online."
Littlehales said: "Naturally, people assumed he got that from me, and you'd wake up to articles dubbing me Cristiano Ronaldo's sleep coach. He’s never disputed it or had his lawyers call to stop the association. I imagine if we met today, he’d acknowledge that he took those early lessons, applied them, and used them to fuel a remarkably positive career."
His account from Real Madrid
Littlehales said that by the time he went to Real Madrid in 2013, Ronaldo was already there, and that he was invited to the club's training facilities at Valdebebas.
Littlehales said: "During those sessions, Ronaldo would deliberately train just a couple of meters away, always present and listening because he recognised me from his Manchester United days."
Littlehales also said that a few days into his visit, Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid for £80M. He said Bale requested to spend time with him and that they sat down with the team doctor to go over it all.
Comments on sleeping tablets
Littlehales said clubs started asking him to come in simply to stop players from doing counterproductive things.
Littlehales said: "Up until around 2012 to 2016, there was no unregulated access to sleeping tablets. You just couldn't get hold of them easily. Now, because of online access, the door is wide open, and it's incredibly difficult to stop."
Littlehales said: "When a player says, 'It doesn't seem to harm me, it's just a sleeping tablet,' I tell them to carry on, but I'll see them playing in League Two in twelve months' time."