Manchester United star Matthijs de Ligt has revealed how Cristiano Ronaldo and Edwin van der Sar made him fall in love with the Red Devils as a child.
Speaking to The Telegraph, De Ligt shared that one of the first football shirts he ever owned was a Ronaldo No.7 United jersey.
“It was the time that Cristiano became Cristiano. Everybody knew Cristiano at United,” he said. “There was also [Edwin] Van der Sar at United at that time and they played Champions League finals. As a kid, naturally, you looked to the Champions League finals and there was United and Ronaldo. So I was always a big Ronaldo fan and a fan of United because of that.”
De Ligt added that United had previously tried to sign him but timing kept the move from happening — until now. “They tried to buy me before, but it was probably not the right moment… But in the end maybe destiny brought me here. It’s a dream for every player to play for United.”
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During his spell at Juventus, De Ligt got the chance to play alongside his idol Ronaldo. Speaking to Tuttosport, he called him “the best of his generation,” praising his work ethic and intensity even in training.
“Ronaldo is the best of his generation and a huge example for young players,” De Ligt said. “Even in training he has a crazy intensity and you wonder if he really is 35 years old.”
Meanwhile, former United defender Danny Simpson told GOAL that he believes Ronaldo could return to Old Trafford in a leadership role one day.
“I wouldn’t say no,” Simpson said. “He’d like to come back again but in another way… He’s also a businessman, and I think he’s got a lot to offer even on that side of the game.”
Wes Brown and Quinton Fortune also agreed Ronaldo could move into a boardroom or ownership role in the future, describing him as someone who can achieve anything he sets his mind to.
As for De Ligt, his focus remains on United’s upcoming clash with Liverpool at Anfield.
“We know the magnitude of it,” De Ligt said. “You feel around here what it means. It’s really important for us to get a result because we’re improving. But we have to keep winning.”
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