Cristiano Ronaldo names three Manchester United players he admires
Cristiano Ronaldo named compatriot Diogo Dalot among the players he admires at Manchester United.
Ronaldo is currently on World Cup duty in Qatar with Portugal, where he is joined by United teammates Dalot and Bruno Fernandes in Fernando Santos’ squad.
The first part of Ronaldo’s talkTV interview with Piers Morgan aired on Wednesday night, and in it he was asked by Morgan which players in world football he admires.
Opting to focus on his club teammates, Ronaldo said: “In Manchester United I can mention Dalot, he’s young, but very professional but I don’t doubt that he’s going to have longevity in football because he’s young, he’s smart, intelligent and he’s very professional. Probably [Lisandro] Martinez, Casemiro is in his 30s, but I will say Dalot.”
That answer came off the back of Ronaldo criticising young players in today’s game, suggesting they lack the same discipline he had when he was an emerging young talent.
He said: “All leagues in the world, the youngest now, they are not the same as my generation. But we cannot blame them because, it’s part of life, you know. The new generation and the new technologies that distract them for another thing so… But they are not the same. They listen but this is why we have two ears, as you listen from one side and they go away from another side.
“It doesn’t surprise me. But in the same way it’s a shame because if they have the best examples in front of your eyes, and if they don’t at least copy what you did, for me, it’s kind of weird, because I remember when I was 18, 19, 20, I always looked to see the best players in Van Nistelrooy, Ferdinand, Roy Keane, and Giggs – this is why I have the success that I have and longevity. Because I take care of my body, my mentality, my head, because I see these guys and I learn from them.”
