15 best quotes about Cristiano Ronaldo from stars of football

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the finest football players to have ever played the beautiful game. The Portuguese icon is a world-class athlete and has been at the top of the sport for two decades now, proving how dedicated and driven he has been over the years.

His unbelievable technical ability and goalscoring prowess make the 39-year-old virtually unplayable on his best days. Having played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe, Ronaldo has won league titles in England, Spain, and Italy, while also lifting five Champions League trophies. His list of both team and individual accolades is extensive and decorated.

It’s not only fans of the sport that have sat up and taken notice of Ronaldo’s unfathomable achievements in the game, but his fellow professionals have had plenty of positive things to say about the former Real Madrid star. We’ve compiled some of the greatest quotes ever made about the Al-Nassr striker.

Sir Alex Ferguson was the first big influence Cristiano had in his senior career. The Scottish boss is seen as the greatest Premier League manager ever, and he definitely had a huge impact on the ex-Sporting Lisbon winger’s career. Mentoring Ronaldo into becoming one of the most exciting players on the planet, while also filling his trophy cabinet with multiple Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy, Ferguson deserves a huge amount of credit for the superstar’s success. Ferguson once gave his ex-player massive plaudits

Jose Mourinho is up there with Ferguson as one of the best managers of the past three decades. The ‘Special One’ had the luxury of managing Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu from 2010 to 2013, and it’s safe to say the Portuguese boss was more than impressed by his compatriot. Hailing Ronaldo as one of the top players of all time, Mourinho claimed:

Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been going head-to-head for more than 15 years now in an effort to claim the title of the greatest player in history. The Argentine has perhaps won that war in the eyes of many, but he has still shown respect for his biggest foe in football over the years. Messi detailed his former El Clasico rival’s legacy by saying:

Sir Bobby Charlton tragically passed away in 2023, but the England and Man United hero’s legacy in the game will live on forever. He was one of the Red Devils’ greatest players ever and his words continued to carry a lot of weight for many years after his playing career came to an end. Charlton saw a lot of amazing football players, but his favourite to watch may have been Ronaldo, judging by the following comment:

The only real competition the 39-year-old faces for the accolade of being Portugal’s greatest player of all time, Eusebio remains one of the best finishers to have ever stepped on a football pitch. Before his tragic passing in 2014, the Benfica legend had some very kind words about the successor to his throne as the nation’s biggest superstar, per talkSPORT, saying:

Of the five Champions League trophies Ronaldo has lifted in his illustrious career, three were under the stewardship of Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid. Formerly one of the greatest midfield players of a generation, the Frenchman tried his hand at management and was a roaring success. Zidane was very impressed by just how effective Cristiano was for Los Blancos during his tenure as manager, claiming:

“When you play with Ronaldo on your team, you are already 1-0 up.”

Johan Cruyff possessed one of the smartest footballing brains in history – if not *the* smartest. The Dutch sensation revolutionised the game as both a player and a manager. He may have held a strong connection with Barcelona, but Cruyff was a big fan of the former Real Madrid ace. He once claimed Ronaldo was better than two former Ballon d’Or winners who represented Manchester United. Speaking as a player to have lifted the biggest individual accolade in the world more than once, it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about it. Cruyff said:

Ronaldo joined a list of Manchester United’s greatest-ever wingers during his first spell at the club. The Portugal international used his blistering pace and silky dribbling ability to terrify opposing defenders as a young player making a name for himself in the English top flight. George Best is the strongest competition Ronaldo has for being named the best wideman to ever pull on the famous red shirt. The 1968 Ballon d’Or winner had a humorous way of hailing Ronaldo, telling reporters:

“There have been a few players described as the new George Best over the years, but this is the first time it’s been a compliment to me.”

Paul Scholes is a hard man to impress, more often than not. The former world-class midfielder-turned-pundit has high expectations of players he watches, but was extremely complimentary of his former teammate at Manchester United. Speaking to BT Sport after the striker scored the 700th club goal of his career for United against Everton in 2022, Scholes said:

Erling Haaland is perhaps the best striker on the planet in the modern game, taking over the mantle that was held by Ronaldo for over a decade. The Norwegian talisman has been in wonderful form for Manchester City since his arrival in 2022. The man that now holds the record for the most Premier League goals in a single season alluded to the fact Ronaldo’s game had a huge influence on how he models his own game, telling TV2:

Ryan Giggs was present throughout Ronaldo’s time at Old Trafford the first time around. The man with the most assists in Premier League history has the Portuguese revelation to thank for clinically finishing many of the opportunities Giggs crafted for him. The ex-Wales international explained how easy life was made by his former teammate’s ability to drive forward with the ball. Being a player that used to possess plenty of speed in his younger days, Giggs was well-equipped to weigh in on Ronaldo’s dribbling ability when he said:

Jadon Sancho was joined at Old Trafford by a player he clearly looked up to with his comments to BBC Sport. Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United wasn’t only a massive moment for the supporters of the club, but also for all the younger players in the squad. Sancho – who would have grown up watching the United legend – explained:

Ronaldo lifted the Champions League four times during his nine-year spell at Real Madrid, and a man that was present in the team for each of those European successes was Raphael Varane. The French defender would also join Manchester United in the same summer as the Portuguese superstar. The 2018 World Cup winner was full of praise for Ronaldo in an interview with Sky Sports, as he said:

A player as supremely talented as Luis Figo heaping praise on anyone should be taken extremely seriously and everyone should stand up and take notice of the Portuguese star’s words. The man to have pulled on the shirt of both Barcelona and Real Madrid played alongside Ronaldo for Portugal as an experienced veteran while his colleague was an exciting young prospect. Bearing in mind the wonderful things Figo could do in possession of a football, it makes his words even more impactful when he expressed:

Deco – formerly of Barcelona and Chelsea – was an international teammate of Ronaldo, and once gave an insight into his ex-colleague’s work ethic away from the pitch. Just by looking at the physique of the star indicates that a lot of hard work has gone into his career. Deco’s comments to beIN Sports in 2015 highlight just how seriously Ronaldo has taken his career