Former United winger Antony shares his bizarre experience with Ronaldo | OneFootball

Former Manchester United forward Antony has turned his career around since leaving Old Trafford permanently last summer. The Brazilian arrived at the Theatre of Dreams from Ajax in the summer of 2022 as one of the Red Devils’ most expensive signings, but he hardly lived up to expectations.

Antony managed just 12 goals and nine assists in 96 appearances for the English giants, a meagre return for a player who reportedly cost around £82 million. After failing to convince then head coach Ruben Amorim, the 26 year old was sent on loan to Betis in January last year.

Antony was so impressive in Spain that the LaLiga club ultimately signed him permanently this summer. The Brazilian has done very well since the move, registering 13 goals and nine assists in 41 games this season.

Antony Stats: 2025/26 Season

Source: Transfermarkt.

While his time at Old Trafford was nothing to write home about, Antony did get to share the pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo on seven occasions. Antony has now shed light on his experiences behind the scenes with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Learned a lot from Cristiano

Ronaldo was in his second spell with United when Antony arrived at the Theatre of Dreams. Speaking to Globo Esporte, the Brazilian revealed he learned a lot from the Portuguese superstar. He said: “Cristiano Ronaldo is a great person, you learn a lot from him. He even joked with me once, saying that people think he’s stubborn, but in everyday life he’s very playful.”

“I learned a lot from him. He talked about life, books, various subjects outside of football. That was good because it helped me disconnect. He would say, ‘Today we’re not going to talk about football.’ And that made us learn other important things.”

“Once in the sauna he joked with me. He showed me his physique and asked if I looked 23 years old. I was even embarrassed because you see the level of care he takes even at almost 40. He’s a role model for everyone.”

Unfortunately, Ronaldo’s second coming at Old Trafford failed to live up to expectations. The Portuguese ultimately left around six months after Antony’s arrival following a fallout with Erik ten Hag.

No regrets about United move

Antony went on to emphasise that, despite his struggles at Old Trafford, he has no regrets about joining United. He said: “Off-field issues have a big influence. I had some problems outside the pitch that hindered me. It was a complicated time, but it served as a learning experience and helped me mature.”

“I don’t regret going to Manchester United, I’m grateful to the club. I learned a lot there, and being happy today at Betis is due to those difficult moments I experienced in England.”

Having invested heavily in the attack last summer, United have hardly missed the Brazilian this season. The Red Devils have also scored 60 goals in 34 Premier League games so far, a huge improvement on their return of 44 goals in 38 league games last campaign.

Final Thoughts

Antony will go down as one of United’s most controversial transfers in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. However, INEOS have shown promise in their recent recruitment, especially last summer, and fans will be optimistic about the upcoming transfer window as well.

Featured image Gabriele Maltinti via Getty Images

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