“Cannot let myself be dominated by one midfielder” – When Adebayor made hilarious comment on golden boot race with Cristiano Ronaldo
Emmanuel Adebayor once hilariously quipped about the potential of losing the 2008 Golden Boot race to Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Adebayor was at Arsenal at the time, firing in goals for the Gunners in their three-horse title race with the Red Devils and Chelsea. However, the now-retired Togolese frontman also had a Golden Boot triumph in his sights.
The legendary former striker was going toe-to-toe with Cristiano Ronaldo in the goalscoring charts. He joked in March 2008 that he didn't want to lose to a midfielder (via Sky Sports):
"At the moment I am having a good race with Ronaldo. I am a striker and cannot let myself be dominated by one midfielder."
Unfortunately for Adebayor, he ended up losing the Golden Boot race to the iconic forward. Ronaldo ended the 2007-08 campaign with 31 goals to the former Arsenal striker's 24.
Manchester United also beat Adebayor's Gunners side to the Premier League title. The north London giants finished third, four points off Sir Alex Ferguson's champions.
However, his comments were typical of the enigmatic forward who became a journeyman during his career. He also played for Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and AS Monaco during his career before retiring last year.
Adebayor even played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2010-11 season, joining Real Madrid on loan from City in January. He bagged eight goals in 22 games across competitions. This is some way off the Portuguese icon's all-time record for Los Blancos, which is 450 goals in 438 games at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Cristiano Ronaldo could be reunited with former Manchester United teammate
Cristiano Ronaldo may soon be joined by a familiar face at current club Al Nassr. Reports claim that Al-Alami are plotting a move for his former United teammate Edinson Cavani.
The Saudi Pro League giants have reportedly held talks with the Uruguayan striker's representatives. They are set to make an offer to Valencia shortly for the 36-year-old.
Cavani spent one season playing alongside Ronaldo at Old Trafford. The pair were part of a beleaguered Red Devils side that finished sixth in the Premier League. The veteran frontman was forced to give up his No. 7 shirt for the Portuguese icon when he made a groundbreaking return in 2021.
The former Paris Saint-Germain striker became a free agent last summer once his contract with United expired and headed to the Mestalla. He has bagged seven goals and provided two assists in 28 games across competitions for the La Liga side.