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Brazilian national team striker Ronaldo expressed his confusion as to why he does not make it into the starting lineup of the Madrid team led by Italian Fabio Capello.
"The worst part is that I don't have the coach's confidence and I don't even know how to fight for it again," Ronaldo told the Spanish newspaper "ABC" on Friday.
The thirty-year-old Brazilian national team striker was the top scorer for Real Madrid last season, despite being constantly plagued by injuries.
However, when Italian Fabio Capello took over the reins at Real Madrid in the summer, Ronaldo's place in the starting lineup was mostly taken by the Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy, who also joined the team in the summer and fits perfectly into the tactical scheme promoted by the Italian with a single striker up front.
Ronaldo underwent surgery after the World Cup, so he missed the beginning of the season. This season, the Brazilian has only played 100 minutes in the Spanish league and UEFA Champions League, during which he has not scored a single goal. In addition, he has not started a single game in the starting lineup.
Ronaldo's contract with Real Madrid is valid until 2008.
"I will play for Real Madrid until the contract ends. Then I will play for two more years in Brazil or the USA and end my career at the age of 35," Ronaldo spoke about his future plans. "I am a fighter, and now is the perfect time to fight. It's a small problem compared to others. I'm happy when I play football... and now I do it rarely."
