Cristiano Ronaldo started his career as a young and promising player at Manchester United. The Portuguese player then slowly took vital steps forward and went on to become one of United’s most iconic players in the years to follow.
On the other hand, former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville was one of the players who shared the dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo during the number seven’s earlier days at the club. Neville retired from soccer in 2011 and currently serves as a pundit of the game for the English broadcasting network ‘Sky Sports’.
A recent report from ‘Bonafide Sports’ states the opinion of Gary Neville regarding CR7’s first season at Manchester United. The 48-year-old gave an insight into how the Portugal player was in his starting days at Old Trafford.
Neville expressed that in his first couple of years at the Red Devils, CR7 wasn’t too keen on performing his defensive duties, and they “were tolerating him”. He further opined that the team “tolerated him (Ronaldo) from a defensive point of view, and in an attacking point of view he was erratic”.
The veteran defender then asserted that after a couple of years, CR7 started churning up good numbers in terms of goals and assists. So, the team was able to “tolerate anything” that he did. Neville stated that CR7 went on to become an “exceptional” player and changed himself from a player who used to be “frustrating”.
The Portugal forward developed into an “absolutely brilliant” player and transformed himself from a “young erratic” player, Neville expressed. “His character is completely different as well, not just his performance,” the veteran United player said for CR7.
Cristiano Ronaldo labels Gary Neville as someone who he is not friends with
CR7 didn’t have a good second stint with the Red Devils. The 38-year-old stated his opinions regarding some of the issues at the club. In his exclusive interview with British television personality Piers Morgan, the number seven lashed out at some of his former teammates at the club.
Targeting former United players like Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville, he inflicted: “I don’t know why he (Rooney) criticized me so badly”. Piers Morgan stated that it could be because Ronaldo is still playing and Wayne is not. “Probably because he finished his career in the thirties, and I am still playing at the higher level,” Ronaldo expressed.
Moving on to Gary Neville, the forward was asked about the incident when he blanked (ignored) him on the field, which upset Gary. Piers Morgan has also inflicted on Ronaldo that even Neville has criticized him several times. “People can have his own opinion, but they don’t really know what’s happening in the training ground, or in my life,” CR7 asserted.
When asked about whether Rooney and Gary Neville are still friends of his, Portugal’s captain immediately replied, “They are not my friends”. He further insisted that he does feel a bit “betrayed” by several criticisms targeted at him from his former teammates.
It could be inferred from the number seven’s statements that he was pretty clear on his stance regarding his current relationship with the two of his former teammates. The veteran player has often sounded honest in his interviews throughout the years. This seemed like another one of those incidents.