"You know what kind of player he is" - Al-Nassr star details experience of training alongside Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr teammate Aymeric Laporte has opened up about how it feels to train alongside the Portuguese icon. He lauded Ronaldo's work ethic and stated that he's one of the best players in the history of the game.
Laporte joined Al-Nassr from Manchester City in the summer of 2023. The Spanish international is one of several top European players who moved to the Saudi Pro League following Ronaldo's move to the Middle East in December 2022.
The centre-back recently spoke about training alongside the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
"Training with Cristiano every day is something special, because you know what kind of player he is, a tremendous player," Laporte said (via Al Nassr Zone on X).
"Cristiano is one of the best players in the history of football and a great example of a professional player."
Laporte has been a key player for the Knights of Najd since joining the club. The 30-year-old is one of the club's first-choice centre-backs and has contributed seven goals and one assist in 54 games.
This season, Laporte has scored three goals in 15 appearances across competitions. He has shared the pitch 49 times with Cristiano Ronaldo, recording one joint goal participation.
The former Manchester City defender will hope to guide Al-Nassr to a trophy alongside the Portuguese icon this season. The Riyadh-based club are third in the Saudi Pro League with 22 points after 10 matches, six points behind rivals and table toppers Al-Hilal.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr teammate Aymeric Laporte linked with a move back to Europe
Aymeric Laporte could be on his way back to Europe. According to reports, he is on Real Madrid's radar as they look to solve their defensive crisis this season. Los Blancos have only two fit senior centre-backs in their squad, with multiple defenders suffering from long-term injuries.
When asked recently about a potential move to the Spanish giants, Laporte said (as quoted by GOAL):
"I'm not really up to date, I've read the same thing as you. There's no problem. It sounds good. Obviously, teams like Real Madrid aren't being looked down upon."
Laporte would be on familiar terrain in Spain, having represented Athletic Bilbao for six years before joining Manchester City in 2018. The Spain international was also part of La Roja's Euro 2024 winning squad.