"Cristiano Ronaldo is like Michael Jordan," says former teammate as he recalls stunning episode
Cristiano Ronaldo is hailed as one of the best athletes of all time and the veteran attacker has shown no signs of slowing down. At the age of 35, Cristiano Ronaldo is the main man for Juventus as well as the Portuguese national team, as he continues to bang in the goals.
Having burst onto the scene at Sporting Lisbon, Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Manchester United in the summer of 2003.
Under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson, he became a global superstar at Old Trafford and established himself as one of the best players in the world.
Since then, Cristiano Ronaldo has represented Real Madrid and Juventus and has won several honours for club and country.
Over the years, numerous stories have emerged about Cristiano Ronaldo's mentality and professionalism, as the Portuguese talisman continues to inspire footballers across the globe.
Cristiano Ronaldo's mentality praised by Tello
Speaking to Portuguese newspaper Record, Rodrigo Tello recalled one such incident from their time together at Sporting Lisbon. The Chilean represented the Portuguese outfit between 2001 and 2007 and was teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Tello praised Ronaldo's mentality and added that he was unlike any 17-year-old he had ever come across.
"I had the opportunity to be the companion of a player as powerful as himself. Cristiano Ronaldo's mentality was totally different from that of a 17-year-old kid."
"We played table football, he was the best, we played billiards, he was the best, we were going to do weights and he was what he did more. It reminds me of [Michael] Jordan, who is competitive in everything."
Tello said that he maintains a good relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo and added that he received a signed shirt from the man himself recently.
"I had a good relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo. When I turned years old, my wife surprised me and offered me a Juventus jersey signed by Cristiano Ronaldo. I have no idea how she got it."
Cristiano Ronaldo has been in stunning form for Juventus this season and spearheaded their title charge. The Bianconeri are embroiled in an exciting title race with surprise contenders Lazio, who trail the reigning champions by just one point as things stand.
With Ciro Immobile in top form, Juventus will have to be at their brilliant best when the season restarts to retain their Serie A crown. The Italian striker is one of the most potent strikers in Europe and has registered a staggering 27 goals in 26 Serie A appearances this season.
On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo has 21 league goals to his name and will be aiming to pip Immobile to the Serie A Golden Boot.
The Italian top-flight, along with several other major European leagues, is scheduled to resume later this month. Juventus will hope for Cristiano Ronaldo to carry on from where he left off before the break, as they look to retain the Serie A title and progress as far as possible in the UEFA Champions League.