Cristiano Ronaldo was once pinned against the wall by Ryan Giggs in shocking episode
Cristiano Ronaldo has been involved in his fair share of controversial moments as a footballer. Having burst onto the scene at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United took the leap of faith to sign the 18-year-old for £14 million, which was a world-record fee for a teenager at the time.
Manchester United were the most envied club in world football back then, and Cristiano Ronaldo's game reached new heights at Old Trafford, where he established himself as the best player in the world under Sir Alex Ferguson.
While Roy Keane was club captain when Ronaldo joined the club in 2003, Ryan Giggs was the one who reacted angrily at the Portuguese superstar at the breakfast table one day.
Speaking to journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft in 2016, former Manchester United player and current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer shed light on the incident.
"Once Cristiano Ronaldo came to breakfast with a can of Coca-Cola in his hands. Ryan Giggs pushed him against the wall!"
"He said to Ronaldo 'dont ever do that again'"
While Cristiano Ronaldo was the most talented player in world football at the time, Giggs' professionalism was the gold standard, and the Welshman didn't hesitate to make his feelings felt.
Cristiano Ronaldo's reality check
However, as time went by, Cristiano Ronaldo realized the harsh realities of the Premier League and took conscious efforts to look after his body and diet. Additionally, the Portuguese international was also accused of play-acting and complaining when he didn't get a decision.
This particular trait of Ronaldo did not go unnoticed, as Sir Alex Ferguson showed him some tough love to get to teach the attacker a valuable lesson.
Former Red Devils coach Tony Coton revealed that the boss' methods worked wonders with Cristiano Ronaldo, as members of the coaching staff were advised to turn a blind eye to Ronaldo's theatrics.
"One flaw was his habit of falling to the floor like a rag doll every time he lost a tackle. When a free-kick was not forthcoming, he'd throw his hands up in outrage and sit on the turf muttering Portuguese curses while the game continued around him."
"Members of the coaching staff were encouraged to turn a blind eye if they saw Ronaldo being fouled in practise matches and small-sided games."
"These games were intense and no prisoners were taken. Poor Cristiano Ronaldo didn't know what hit him as team-mates he'd been sharing a joke with him gave him the kind of treatment that was no laughing matter."
Sir Alex's master plan worked wonders for Cristiano Ronaldo, who toughened up progressively in his time in the Premier League.
Speaking about his former teammate to Goal in 2019, Rio Ferdinand hailed the Portuguese international's professionalism and attention to detail.
"For Ronaldo, [he is] 34 now and he is still at the top and he has been in the top two players in the world for more than a decade. He was the first person I saw invest in a team. I went around his house and I saw about 10 people in his front room."
"I said, who are these people? What’s going on? He said, that’s my chef, that’s my physio, that’s the doctor and that’s my personal trainer."
Cristiano Ronaldo's steady progression as an athlete has helped with the longevity of his career, as he is still going strong at the age of 35.