Cristiano Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest players of all time, and it appears he was one of the very few Manchester United stars who was immune to the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson's hairdryer treatment
Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United is presented with an award by Sir Alex Ferguson
Manchester United legends Sir Alex Ferguson and Cristiano Ronaldo continue to have a fantastic relationship
(Image: Getty Images)
Few Manchester United players were spared Sir Alex Ferguson's legendary 'hairdryer' treatment.
The iconic manager's fiery temper was as well-known as his managerial success, with incidents like the flying football boot that injured David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy's dressing-down for swapping shirts after a derby loss.
Yet, it appears some players were exempt from such confrontations. Eric Cantona, despite his infamous kung-fu kick incident at Crystal Palace, seemed to sidestep such disputes.
Cristiano Ronaldo was also treated delicately by Ferguson, a strategy that seemed to work wonders given Ronaldo's accomplishments at Old Trafford. This softer approach towards certain players may have been influenced by an altercation with Ronaldo, as former club captain Nemanja Vidic, who made 300 appearances for United, suggested. Speaking on The Overlap, Vidic reflected on his time at the club from 2005 to 2014.
"With the manager, I never had a close relationship," he said, via the Express. "If he asked me something, I would tell him, but I never had that relationship. Rio (Ferdinand) or Darren Fletcher would talk more.".
Vidic indicated that Ferguson, now 83, recognised that not all players reacted positively to harsh criticism, stating: "What he realised, it's not that he didn't shout at me because he was scared of anyone, but he realised that with certain players, it would not help if he's shouting.
"I think he changed that after he shouted at Cristiano Ronaldo. I don't think Ronaldo took it well, maybe good for the English and British players, but he was careful with the foreign players."
Ferguson secured 13 Premier League titles throughout his tenure, along with two Champions League trophies and numerous domestic honours. He has certainly maintained Ronaldo's admiration well beyond the Portuguese star's departure for Real Madrid in summer 2009.
The 40-year-old continues to address his former boss as exactly that - "boss." He described Ferguson as a "father figure" during his formative years, having arrived at United from Sporting CP at the age of just 18.
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