“I’ve never seen anything like him” - Ex-Manchester United star shares experience of playing with Cristiano Ronaldo
Former Manchester United star Alex Telles has spoken about his experience playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford. The left-back also followed the legendary Portuguese striker to Saudi Arabia to Al-Nassr in 2023.
When Ronaldo rejoined United in 2021, expectations were massive. And he lived up to them, scoring 24 goals in his first season at the club. However, he eventually fell out with the Old Trafford hierarchy and manager Erik ten Hag, which saw his contract terminated towards the end of 2022.
The forward eventually opted for a move to Saudi Arabia in January 2023 and currently plays for Al-Nassr as their captain. Before he left Old Trafford, though, he impacted a number of players, like Alex Telles, who opened up about his time alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
The former left-back spoke about the legendary striker during an interview in Brazil, explaining what made players like Ronaldo and Neymar stand out. He said to FogaoNET (via United in Focus):
“It’s surreal. Playing with these machines… They are players who are out of the ordinary. From the moment I met Ney and Cris, both at United and Al-Nassr, seeing what they do on a daily basis, how they work.
“Cris is an example of an athlete, I’ve never seen anything like him. He’s 39 years old and he still does what he does today, he has his own treatment routine, recovery, diet, he’s a good example. I really like seeing good examples to learn from. I learned a lot.”
Ronaldo is now 39 but still remains one of the most exciting players in the world, having become the first player to cross the 900-career goal mark. Alex Telles has left Al-Nassr, returning to his home country of Brazil to play for Botafogo.
Cristiano Ronaldo criticizes Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, amidst poor league form
Before Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United, he spoke with British broadcaster Piers Morgan in a bombshell interview. He notably slammed the club and the manager, which ultimately led to his dismissal from Old Trafford in late 2022.
Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken about the club again, questioning the mindset of manager Erik ten Hag. He said on Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast (via BBC):
"The coach says they cannot compete to win the [Premier] League and Champions League. As Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the league or Champions League.
"Mentally [you can] say maybe we don't have that potential but I cannot say that. We're going to try, you have to try. What I wish for Manchester [United], it's what I wish for me - [to be] the best team they can. I love that club... I'm not that kind of guy that forgot the past."
Manchester United are currently sitting in 14th place on the Premier League table, after winning just one game out of their first three matches this season. They have lost to Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool and need to improve their performances to move up the table.