Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player he ever played alongside during his illustrious career at Old Trafford.
Speaking to former teammate Rio Ferdinand on Rio Meets, Giggs reminisced about Ronaldo’s early struggles in English football, admitting the Portuguese star initially found it difficult to cope with the Premier League’s physicality and fast pace.
“The first year was hard for him,” Giggs said. “He took too many touches and got kicked a lot in training. The manager wouldn’t even give fouls. That’s how it was back then.”
Giggs recalled a specific incident during training where he tackled Ronaldo hard, prompting a reaction from then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I sprinted across and took Cristiano out in one session. The gaffer went mad. I told him it was a fair tackle, but he just said, ‘Take care he’s a special player.’ That’s when I knew Ferguson saw something huge in him.”
Although Ferguson didn’t openly instruct senior players to toughen Ronaldo up, Giggs said it was something that naturally happened. “I don’t think he needed to ask us. We already did it,” he added.
From a flashy winger full of tricks and flair to a goal-scoring machine, Ronaldo eventually adapted and thrived, becoming one of the greatest players in football history.
When asked to compare Ronaldo to other greats like Eric Cantona, Giggs didn’t hesitate. “He’s the best. No question,” he said.
Now 39, Ronaldo continues his career with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, and his next appearance is set for Saturday in the Asian Champions League against Yokohama F. Marinos.
