Cristiano Ronaldo: Diogo Dalot’s bold claim about United legend | OneFootball

Manchester United full-back Diogo Dalot has shed light on club legend Cristiano Ronaldo’s influence on his career. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner registered 145 goals and 73 assists for the Red Devils in 346 appearances over two spells.

Ronaldo became a household name during his initial six-season stint at Old Trafford, winning everything on offer before leaving for Real Madrid in the summer of 2009. The Portuguese superstar returned for a second spell in 2021, when he rubbed shoulders with Dalot.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Trophies won with United

Source: Wikipedia.

The right-back was breaking into the first team during that period after a series of loan spells. Ronaldo’s second coming, however, did not live up to expectations. He left the Theatre of Dreams in December 2022 after a fallout with former manager Erik ten Hag to join Al Nassr, where he currently plies his trade.

Nevertheless, the legendary forward left a lasting impression on Dalot, who recently spoke at length on the playing alongside his idol.

The biggest influence in Dalot’s career

Speaking to former United striker Danny Webber on the Influencers series, Dalot revealed that Ronaldo has always been his idol. He said: “He was my idol, forever. Since I remember football, he was the person that I wanted to be like, and I watched everything about him. He was my biggest idol, and he still is.”

The full-back went on to outline how sharing the pitch with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner at Old Trafford changed his career, adding: “He was the biggest direct influence that I had in my career. Without any doubt. Because the moment he arrived and I became a team-mate of his, my career went [up].”

“And coincidence or not, it was when he arrived, because the way that his mind is shaped and the way that he works, the way that I was watching every single day.”

“It made me stronger mentally, it made me stronger physically, it made me pay more attention to my body, to the way I treat people, to all the aspects of the game that you can imagine, on the pitch and outside.”

Ronaldo lent Dalot a helping hand at United

Dalot went on to reveal how Ronaldo helped him become a first-team regular for the Red Devils. He said: “It was a period when I came back from loan. And I didn’t play, I didn’t have any space in the team like I have now.”

“And the first thing that he tells me is, ‘Diogo, I already saw you in the national team, I know who you are outside the pitch, it’s a matter of time. And I’m going to help you in training, I’m going to help you outside training. Will you come with me? We’re going to talk, we’re going to do all these things, we’re going to spend some time together and I’m sure that things will go the way that you want.’”

“For him to also take a bit of time to advise me and care about me, I think that’s also made me like him even more. He has that influence, and definitely, since he became my team-mate, my career changed drastically.”

Dalot and Ronaldo shared the pitch 65 times for club and country, contributing two goals together.

Final Thoughts

Ronaldo’s professionalism and zeal for excellence are an example for every young footballer across the world. The 41 year old, who is gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, remains fondly remembered at Old Trafford.

Featured image Yasser Bakhsh via Getty Images

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