Brazil and Barcelona icon Ronaldinho once revealed that he wished he was more like one England star that Thierry Henry admitted to being scared of. In terms of sheer natural ability, there were very few players as feared as Ronaldinho in his prime, thanks to his ability to completely humiliate defenders on the pitch.
Though his character was a fun-loving one, as evidenced by the beaming smile spread across his face any time he stepped out at his famous homes of Camp Nou and the San Siro, the freestyling forward routinely intimidated his opponents based on what he could do with the ball at his feet. Yet, there was still one Premier League icon that the Ballon d'Or winner wanted to be like.
Ronaldinho's Jealousy of England Star
Despite seemingly having as much god-given talent as any footballer to play the game, Ronaldinho did admit that he wished he could've been more like Manchester United hero, Paul Scholes.
Among Scholes’ standout qualities was his exceptional passing ability. He could just as easily play a sharp, precise ball over a few yards as he could launch a sweeping 50-yard cross-field pass. His range was so impressive that even a superstar like Ronaldinho openly expressed his admiration, saying:
"I want to pass like him. Who taught him how to do that?"
Henry on Scholes Fear
thierry henry
Ronaldinho was not the only world-class player who was fully aware of exactly how Scholes could hurt any opposition, with Thierry Henry admitting to being scared to come up against the midfielder. The pair engaged in many feisty battles during the peak of Manchester United's rivalry with Arsenal as both teams battled for Premier League supremacy.
Years later, Henry reflected on facing off against the England international, saying:
"[Manchester] United always had many amazing players, but whenever we faced them we were always, always, always scared of what Paul Scholes could do. Ask anyone from that old Arsenal team, they will tell you the same.
"If you let him play, he can kill you, and for me he was so underrated. The way he plays: one touch, arriving late into the box, the way he strikes the ball, his vision, his passing. Incredible."