Diogo Dalot has revealed how Cristiano Ronaldo once predicted that a Manchester United striker would fail at the club because he lacked the 'fire' during the Portugal star's second spell at Old Trafford
Diogo Dalot and Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo did not hold back in his comments about a former Man United teammate(Image: Getty Images)
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Cristiano Ronaldo informed Diogo Dalot that one of their Manchester United colleagues was 'not gonna make it' at Old Trafford. The Portuguese legend returned for a second stint at the Premier League outfit back in 2021, making a surprise switch from Juventus when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge.
Ronaldo had previously been part of a side that secured multiple league titles and the Champions League during his initial spell at the club. Ronaldo's return saw him join a squad that had endured years without claiming silverware and was still attempting to recapture the standards of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Numerous signings failed to meet expectations and, during a discussion with Dalot, Ronaldo swiftly made clear that one striker lacked the hunger to achieve lasting success.
Dalot wrote in the Players' Tribute: "That season with Cristiano was when I really started to grow as a player and as a person. I lost count of the number of predictions he got right, because he knows so well what it takes to go to the top.
"If anyone skipped a set in the gym, he would notice. We had a striker here who did really well for us in his first season, but Cristiano said, 'He's not gonna make it here'. I said, 'Cris, he scored two goals today!' He said, 'Yeah, but he didn't have the fire to go for the third.'"
Cristiano Ronaldo and Diogo Dalot
Dalot played alongside Ronaldo at Old Trafford
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Dalot stops short of naming the player in question, and even the statistics from that campaign fail to reveal who the individual might be. During Ronaldo's first season back in Manchester, the only player besides the serial Ballon d'Or winner to score a brace in a single match across all competitions was Bruno Fernandes, who netted twice in a draw at Aston Villa in January.
That season, the strikers on United's books were Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Edinson Cavani.
Ronaldo departed Manchester after 18 months following a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan. He has since relocated to Saudi Arabia yet continues to play into his 40s. The veteran will feature for Portugal at his sixth World Cup this summer, and Dalot finds it absurd that anyone would question his involvement.
He said: "To me, it's totally crazy that anyone could even debate whether he should play at the World Cup. Is he running like he's 22? No. Is he scoring a goal per game? Yes.
"Does he make us all better? Yes. The guy is 41. He doesn't need to be there, playing with people who are young enough to be his kids, but he is. Every time you meet him, you leave a little wiser."