Greatest XI to have played with Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best players to have played the beautiful game. During an almost two-decade-long career, he has scored goals and won titles aplenty for both club and country.
Still going strong at the age of 36, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has hit the ground running on his return to Manchester United after more than a decade. Last season, he scored 29 league goals to win his first Capocannoniere award even as Juventus' nine-year Serie A reign drew to a close.
Ronaldo has also been a standout performer in international football. He starred with five goals and an assist at Euro 2020, despite holders Portugal crashing out in the Round of 16.
Recently, Ronaldo (111) overtook Ali Daei to become the most prolific scorer in men's international football.
How Cristiano Ronaldo became the all-time top scorer in men's international football 🇵🇹 https://t.co/MeS7SgarQL
Over the years, the five-time Champions League winner has played with a plethora of world-class players across positions. On that note, here's a look at the best XI to have lined up with Ronaldo. Without further ado, let's get started:
Note: A 4-3-3 formation has been considered for this hypothetical XI. All stats have been taken from transfermarkt unless mentioned otherwise.
Goalkeeper - Iker Casillas
Iker Casillas is one of the most successful goalkeepers in the history of football. During a highly successful career for club and country, the Spaniard won every major title on offer. That includes the FIFA World Cup, Euros, Champions League and La Liga.
The former Real Madrid captain played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo for five years at the capital club, winning a Liga and Champions League title, among others.
20 - Iker Casillas will become the first player in the Champions League history to play in 20 different seasons. Legend. https://t.co/1HUkAvHW80
Wading into the Ronaldo-Messi debate, Casillas called his illustrious former teammate better than Messi, saying:
"Cristiano always had huge desire to be the best, every since he was a boy and I believe he has achieved that. If I have to compare him to Messi, what Cristiano has done is more impressive because we all know the talent Messi has, but Cristiano was determined and worked hard to be the best."
Casillas' last match with Ronaldo was the 2014 Champions League final, where Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 after extra time to win La Decima. Ronaldo was one of Los Blancos' three scorers in extra time that night.
Right-back - Gary Neville
Gary Neville is one of the most decorated full-backs in Premier League history. He played with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United for six seasons, winning three league titles (in as many years). The duo also won one Champions League title together.
Unsurprisingly, Neville is a huge admirer of Ronaldo for the latter's exploits for club and country over the years.
Cristiano Ronaldo is ridiculously good! Brilliant to watch.
Ronaldo has scored five times in six games across competitions on his return to Old Trafford this summer. That has made Manchester United one of the contenders for the Premier League title.
However, Neville recently said that the Red Devils haven't played well enough as a team to return to title-winning ways.
Centre-back - Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is undoubtedly one of the best centre-backs Cristiano Ronaldo has played with. The Spaniard has won every major title on offer with club and country. He is also one of the most prolific goalscoring defenders in the game's history.
During his nine-year stay in Madrid, Ronaldo combined with Ramos to win two La Liga and four Champions League titles. Now at PSG, Ramos is one of a handful of players to score in two Champions League finals.
🔙📸 | Throwback to when Sergio Ramos dedicated his late winning goal to Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Deportivo in 2016. https://t.co/88eh7wRZU8
After Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018, Ramos took over the club's penalty-taking duties. His exploits at both ends helped Los Blancos end their three-year La Liga title drought last year.
Ramos is yet to make his debut for PSG as he is recuperating from injury.
Centre-back - Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand enjoyed a successful six-season spell with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United. The duo won three consecutive league titles and played in back-to-back Champions League finals (won one, lost the other).
With a strong presence at both ends, Ferdinand was a no-nonsense defender, and was a key cog in Manchester United's team in the late 2000s. He was ecstatic when he learned of Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford this summer.
Big respect to the @ManUtd hierarchy for making this happen…
@Cristiano is back home & I’m BUZZZING!!!
See you soon my friend.
RF
👉🏽 youtu.be/qg98fbZUHJI https://t.co/Uu8Lu4nMoK
Ferdinand once narrated an incident about Ronaldo's level of professionalism and dedication to the sport, saying:
"He was brave to take risks, he came over to another country. He was brave to remain the person that he was, and didn't change really. He became obsessed with the sport that he chose and then drilled down into details which was building a team around himself."
He continued:
"I went round his house one time and I walked in and he had about six/seven people siting in his front room. I said to him, 'Cris, who are all these people, man?' "He was like, 'That's my personal masseur, my nutritionist, my doctor, my physio, my chef.' "He had all these people, and back then no one was doing that. He was a visionary in that sense.
Left-back - Marcelo
Marcelo is one of the most prolific goalscoring full-backs in the game at the moment.
The Brazilian enjoyed a successful near-decade-long stint with Cristiano Ronaldo in the Spanish capital, winning two La Liga and four Champions League titles, among others.
With both players playing on the left flank, the duo combined to score many goals for Real Madrid. In fact, with 25 assists, Marcelo is one of Ronaldo's top assist providers.
Both players scored in Real Madrid's 4-1 win over Atletico in the 2014 Champions League final.
📸 Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo Iconic celebration. https://t.co/OVKewluMAH
Marcelo once said about Ronaldo.
"For me, Cristiano is the best player in the world."