“It was beyond my wildest dreams” - Former Premier League winner reflects on playing with Cristiano Ronaldo in retirement announcement
Former Premier League winner Danny Simpson has reflected on playing with Cristiano Ronaldo during his career while announcing his retirement from the game. The Englishman reckoned that lining up alongside the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was beyond his wildest dreams.
Danny Simpson has finally called it quits at 37, after enjoying a fine career that saw him represent clubs like Newcastle, Leicester and Manchester United, where he was privileged to share the dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Penning his farewell to the sport, the former right-back utilized one paragraph to appreciate the Red Devils and relish the opportunity of playing alongside the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford.
"It's the day every footballer knows will come around eventually and the one nobody wants to happen but it's time to announce my retirement from the game we all love so much," he wrote in a lengthy statement, as quoted by Daily Mail.
"Whilst it's a day I never wanted to come and it's been a while since I played I know it's time to hang up my boots and concentrate on other projects..."
The paragraph in which he mentioned the Al Nassr superstar read:
"Being picked up by Manchester United was a dream come true for me. My local team, the club everyone in Salford loves, it meant everything to me and my family. The hair still picks up on the back of my neck when I think about my Old Trafford debut. Playing alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney - it was beyond my wildest dreams."
Danny Simpson and Cristiano Ronaldo won the Premier League title together at Manchester United in the 2007-2008 campaign. The Red Devils finished with 87 points in 38 games in the English top flight that season, two points above Chelsea.
Danny Simpson and Cristiano Ronaldo's Premier League careers in numbers
Simpson played a total of 213 games in the Premier League during the course of his career. He managed to win the title on two occasions: first with Manchester United in 2008 and later with Leicester City in the 2015-16 campaign.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, managed to notch up 103 goals and 39 assists in 239 games in the English top flight across two spells. He won the title three times and was named the best player in the division on two occasions.
The 39-year-old currently plies his trade in the Saudi Arabian league where he represents Al Nassr. With his contract set to expire at the end of next term, it will be interesting to see what his future holds.