"That's something we can't forget" - When Zinedine Zidane made interesting comment about Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid
Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane once hailed Cristiano Ronaldo for scoring over 400 goals as a winger. The Portuguese superstar started his career as a winger, before taking up a more central role.
Ronaldo became a household name during his time at Manchester United, before moving to Los Blancos in 2009. He transformed into a goalscoring machine during his stay with the LaLiga champions.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored 450 goals from 438 games over nine seasons with Real Madrid. He played under Los Blancos legend Zidane for two-and-a-half seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Speaking in 2017, as relayed by The Daily Mail, Zizou insisted that Ronaldo was good enough to play as an out-an-out striker.
"Ronaldo has always played on the wing but he has the quality to play in several positions. He could play as an out-and-out striker as he's a great player. And almost 400 goals as a winger - that's something we can't forget. It's an amazing achievement but he's so good he could play anywhere," said Zidane.
Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 to move to Juventus. After three seasons in Turin, the Portuguese superstar completed a blockbuster return to Manchester United.
Unfortunately, his second stint at Old Trafford turned out to be an underwhelming affair. The Portuguese icon fell out with then-manager Erik ten Hag and his contract was terminated in December 2022. He moved on to Al-Nassr and currently plies his trade in the Middle East.
How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored under Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid?
Cristiano Ronaldo scored 112 goals under Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid, with an average of 0.98 goals per game. The two also enjoyed great success together with Los Blancos.
The French manager took charge at the Santiago Bernabeu for his first stint in January 2016, following Rafa Benitez's exit. Zidane was previously working with the youth team and was promoted to the senior side.
He went on to guide the LaLiga giants to Champions League glory that season, before retaining the trophy for the next two campaigns. Zidane also won the league, the Spanish Supercup, two FIFA Club World Cups, and two UEFA Super Cups during his first stint with Real Madrid.
He initially left in May 2018, before taking charge once again in March 2019. Zidane's second stint at the Santiago Bernabeu ended in the summer of 2021.