Rio Ferdinand has singled out the incredible impact that one Manchester United legend had under iconic former manager Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson is widely regarded as one of the best managers of all time and the Manchester United legend left behind an incredible legacy at Old Trafford.
Rio Ferdinand was a key part of the last United team to lift a Premier League title under Ferguson before the legendary former United manager retired in 2013.
The 46-year-old TNT Sports pundit spent the large majority of his illustrious United playing career under Ferguson after signing from Leeds United in 2002.
Ferdinand captured six Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy and two League Cups before he made his exit from Old Trafford in 2014.
The United legend had a brief spell with Queens Park Rangers before Ferdinand bowed out of football as a player in 2015 and has since become a leading pundit.
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Photo by Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Photo by Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Rio Ferdinand’s ultimate compliment of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Man Utd spell at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first spell at Manchester United began in 2003 after Sir Alex Ferguson landed the Portugal and Real Madrid legend from Sporting CP.
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The 40-year-old Portuguese forward is regarded as one of the best players in the history of the Premier League and of all time after a legendary playing career.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a scintillating run under Sir Alex Ferguson and the former Juventus and Real Madrid star was devastating on the pitch for the Red Devils.
The Al Nassr superstar lifted three consecutive Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, an FA Cup and two League Cups with United in his first spell.
Ronaldo also captured the first of his five Ballon d’Or awards at Old Trafford before he left United and completed a blockbuster move to Los Blancos in 2009.
Rio Ferdinand played alongside Ronaldo at Old Trafford and the former United defender named him as one of the best three forwards in Premier League history.
“And Cristiano, I don’t know if we’ve seen a better four-year stint than him,” he told Peter Crouch and Ally McCoist on TNT Sports.
“He came as an entertainer, produced ridiculous moments, embarrassed defenders, and then left as a Ballon d’Or winner.”
READ MORE: Rio Ferdinand claims players ‘twice the size’ of Man Utd icon were ‘shaking in their boots’ in tunnel, his aura was one of a kind
Sir Alex Ferguson’s incredible praise for Cristiano Ronaldo perfectly summed up Man Utd legend’s Premier League impact
Speaking after he received the Walther Bensemann prize in Nuremberg, Ferguson said that Ronaldo proved his world-class potential by improving himself post-United.
“Ronaldo is a perfect example of someone who made himself,” he explained in 2016, as per the Independent.
“It’s easy for me to say, ‘Yeah, I made Ronaldo.’ Many coaches might say I made this player and I made that player, but Ronaldo made himself.
“We just gave him the tools and the platform to excel. His practice ethic was incredible.”
Ronaldo has been with current side Al Nassr side since 2023 after the Portugal captain left United for the second time in his prolific playing career in 2022.