Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba shed light on his time with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United last season.
Both players have had two stints at Old Trafford and have represented Juventus during the course of their careers. The Portugal icon returned to Manchester United in the summer of 2021 on an initial two-year deal.
During the 2021-22 campaign, he shared the pitch with Pogba 20 times as a teammate. Despite their intimate history with Manchester United and Juventus, this was the only season where the two were teammates.
But it was enough for the France international to gage Cristiano Ronaldo’s attitude towards the sport. He told the Field of Sports (h/t Daily Mail):
“The discipline of Ronaldo was unbelievable – I’ve never seen this. The discipline is in another level. I see professional players, a lot of players, they’re very professional they come early, they all do recoveries and stuff like that.”
Pogba, who swapped United for Juventus on a free transfer for the second time in his career this summer, continued:
“But someone that’s been there every single day and doesn’t stop – that’s Cristiano. Every day! Some days you’re like, I’m ok! But he doesn’t miss one day. His discipline to do it every single day – this is something.”
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s attitude and discipline has come under the spotlight this season. He was at loggerheads with manager Erik ten Hag and said that he didn’t respect the Dutch tactician because he did not feel respected by him.
Cristiano Ronaldo was also apparently offered to a number of UEFA Champions League-playing clubs but none of them saw it fit to onboard him. He left the Red Devils by mutual consent last month and has since been linked with a move to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Former Manchester United star unhappy with ‘shameful’ Cristiano Ronaldo interview
Cristiano Ronaldo‘s explosive interview with Piers Morgan earlier this season was the beginning of the end of his time at Old Trafford.
He took potshots at several former and current Manchester United personalities, including Ten Hag. It wouldn’t be wrong to suggest that the former Real Madrid’s comments in the interview pushed the Red Devils into letting him leave the club.
However, the interview did not sit right with Antonio Valencia, who inherited his No. 7 jersey at United after his move to Real Madrid in 2009. The Ecuadorian told Marca (h/t Football365):
“The interview he gave was shameful. He will have his reasons for saying what he said, but I felt very bad about the way he left. It hurts.
“I hope everything goes well for him at his new club. I wish him all the best.”