Most younger fans of football will know Roy Hodgson as the familiar face who did a fine job at Crystal Palace, coached England for a number of years and managed Liverpool before that. However, unlike many English managers, he has a fascinating past in European football.
The Croydon-born Londoner first made a name for himself as a coach in Sweden, winning honours with Halmstad, Orebro, and Malmo. He impressed enough to land a job as Switzerland boss, before then taking over at Inter Milan in 1995.
He would spend two seasons with the Italian giants, coaching some of the biggest names of that era. However, no trophies would be won, and he would depart in 1997, and return for a brief spell as interim in 1999, later admitting he didn't handle things as well as he could.
Speaking to TNT Sports in 2025, Hodgson would highlight his struggles dealing with an A-list dressing room, which contained big names such as Andrea Pirlo, Diego Simeone and Ronaldo Nazario.
Hodgson's Mixed Relationship with Ronaldo
"I was certainly quite often angry with him"
In particular, he recalled how the two-time Ballon d'Or winner didn't appear 'to have much time' time for him. The English manager said:
"They got into some difficulties in that particular season. I had left after two seasons, and those two went quite well.
"I came back for a brief spell, where it was a really stellar Inter team that had been put together with some of the biggest stars. There was Andrea Pirlo, Paulo Sousa, Iván Zamorano, Diego Simeone. The list went on and on.
"That was a difficult time. I don't think I handled it very well to be perfectly honest. There were a lot of problems within the dressing room, partly because Ronaldo had his group, and Diego Simeone had his group.
"I certainly didn’t manage that well. You talk about diplomatic and empathetic skills. There didn't seem to be too much in evidence there.
"Most of the time I got the feeling that Ronaldo didn't have much time for me, and I was certainly quite often angry with him for certain aspects of his behaviour."
Roy Hodgson Related
Roy Hodgson's Bizarre 2014 Top 3 Ballon d'Or Picks - Snubbed Ronaldo & Messi
Even Jamie Carragher couldn't help but comment on the strange selection of players.
Hodgson Still Spoke Fondly of Ronaldo
"I've met him a few time since and it's been very pleasant"
Despite the issues when they worked together in Italy, they were able to put all that behind them when they met later on in life. Hodgson explained: "Funnily enough, I've met him a few time since and it's been very pleasant".
Hodgson would leave just before Ronaldo joined Inter in 1997 – but get to coach him for five games as interim manager upon his return in 1999 – and even if the Brazilian didn't have the best relationship behind the scenes at the time, that didn't hold him back on the pitch. After all, the young striker scored five goals in as many games under the Englishman.
At that stage of his career, he was close to unstoppable and would collect the first of his two Ballon d'Or wins halfway through his debut Serie A campaign in 1997 – having had a brilliant campaign the season prior with Barcelona (incidentally working under another English coach in Sir Bobby Robson).
Ronaldo would deliver the UEFA Cup that year for Inter, before leaving in 2002. Hodgson would return to English football in 2007 with Fulham and retire in 2024 after his second spell at Crystal Palace.