“He wanted to score, break all the records, and always win” - Giorgio Chiellini sums up experience of playing with Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo's former Juventus teammate Giorgio Chiellini recently opened up about his experience of playing with the 39-year-old icon.
The Portuguese superstar spent three years in Turin after deciding to join the Italian giants from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 for a reported €117 million. He played 134 matches for the club, bagging 101 goals and 22 assists across competitions.
Ronaldo also won two Serie A titles, among other honors while playing with Chiellini at Juventus. Speaking about his experiences with Ronaldo, the former Italy defender told FIFA's official website (via GOAL):
"Cristiano was a very demanding guy, who always wanted to win, and he managed to convey that to everyone. He wanted to score, break all the records and always win, which he continues to do even now. That's Cristiano and he's exactly as you see him."
"You can get to know people without experiencing them, but there were so many little things (with him)- like his dedication to small things everyday- that made it a privilege for me to have played with him for three years."
Ronaldo and Chiellini played 55 matches together across competitions, bagging two joint-goal contributions. The Al-Nassr star decided to rejoin Manchester United from Juventus in the summer of 2021 for a reported €17 million.
After a torrid second spell with the Premier League side and a mutual contract termination at Old Trafford, Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in January 2023.
Cristiano Ronaldo makes social media post after hat-trick against Abha
Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr completed a resounding 8-0 victory against 17th-place Abha in the Saudi Pro League on Tuesday (April 2). The former Real Madrid man starred in this performance, as he grabbed a first-half hat-trick (11', 21', and 42').
This marked Ronaldo's 65th career hat-trick, which the attacker celebrated on Instagram. Posting images of his team's celebrations from the night, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner wrote:
"We are not slowing down."
Ronaldo has been on fire this campaign for his club side, having netted 36 goals in 35 matches across competitions. Additionally, he also has 12 assists to his name.
Currently, Al-Nassr are second in the Saudi Pro League standings, 12 points behind leaders Al-Hilal. Up next for Ronaldo and company is a league tie against Damac on Friday (April 5). Damac are seventh in the table and 27 points behind the Riyadh-based side.