Monday, March 17, 2025

Cristiano Ronaldo Didn’t Hesitate when Naming his Best Ever Captain

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Few players in the history of football can boast of having achieved success at clubs as prestigious as Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of them.

After all, could we really expect anything else from the man considered by many to be the greatest football player of all time? Certainly not.

He’s enjoyed an exceptional, almost dizzying career, which has seen the Portuguese win no fewer than five Ballon d’Or awards, five Champions Leagues, one Euro or even three Premier League titles. And while, at the age of 40, he is now the guiding light not only for the Portuguese national team but also for his Saudi club Al-Nassr, it should not be forgotten that, as a young man, he too was guided on his path to excellence.

And of all the captains he has known, one in particular has left a lasting impression on him.

Cristiano Ronaldo Names Roy Keane as His Best Ever Captain

They both have shared the stage with Manchester United

In an exclusive interview with TalkTV in 2022, the former Red Devils No7 had no hesitation in naming his former team-mate Roy Keane as the best captain he had ever had. An honorary recognition for a player who shared the pitch with his Irish counterpart 68 times between 2003 and 2005.

As I mentioned many times, Roy Keane for me was my best captain ever.

These words, spoken by a player like Ronaldo, obviously take on even greater significance. It is a mark of the deep respect Keane has shown his ‘protégé’ over the years. Such was the case when Erik ten Hag decided to sideline the Portugal striker after he refused to come on against Tottenham Hotspur in 2022. The Irishman took the opportunity to stand up to Gary Neville and defend his former team-mate.

Where Does Keane Rank Among the Greatest Midfielders in Premier League History?

The Irish legend is undeniably one of the best

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A symbol of Manchester United’s dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Keane spent 15 years of his career plying his trade on the turf of British football’s elite.

Keane’s journey began with Nottingham Forest in 1992 and quickly took him to Old Trafford, where over the years he established himself as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history. He is most often associated with his temperament, which has certainly earned him a place among the hardest players in football history, but his qualities as a footballer shouldn’t be overlooked either.

Roy Keane Stats in Premier League

Appearances

366

Goals

39

Assists

33

Clubs

Nottingham Forest, Manchester United

Span

Honours

x7 Premier League

.

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