Antony has just exposed to Manchester United fans what Cristiano Ronaldo is like behind the scenes
It is recommended that you judge a person by how they treat those around them, and this rule applies to football.
Footballers can sometimes develop insufferable egos in an era that rewards professionals with enormous wealth and lucrative contracts that ensure financial freedom, and the Premier League is home to hundreds of those with high self-assessments.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United may have the biggest ego in the Premier League, but he has delivered on the field to match his words off the field.
Ronaldo has 700 club career goals and five Ballon d’Ors, not to mention his extensive trophy collection, which includes five Champions League titles and numerous other domestic major honors.
Despite being in the winter of his career, Ronaldo delivered last season when his teammates did not.
He scored 24 goals, making him the team’s leading scorer, and he single-handedly kept United in the Champions League.
Ronaldo wanted to leave in the summer, which irritated fans, but the only concrete offer he received was from Saudi Arabia, which means he’s been ‘stuck’ at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo missed the majority of pre-season after expressing his desire to leave the club, and Erik ten Hag recently explained that his limited role is due to a lack of fitness.
“I want to get the best out of him [Ronaldo], he’s in better shape now and I’m happy with that,” Ten Hag said at his press conference on Wednesday. “At the start, it was the case [lack of fitness], it’s proven once again, no one can miss a pre-season.”
Although Ronaldo has started every Europa League match, he has only made one Premier League start, and it will always be a talking point when he is named on the bench, simply because of his achievements and standing in the game.
How would Ronaldo handle his diminished role? That was the question at the start of the season, and while Ten Hag said last week that Ronaldo is “p***** off” when he doesn’t play, it has been claimed that he is still a positive influence at Carrington.
There have been negative reports about Ronaldo’s impact on the club’s mood, but he has received glowing praise from his teammates, who insist he is a pleasure to have in the dressing room.
Those who disagree would obviously not speak out, but Brandon Williams and Martin Dubravka both endorsed the forward last month, and Antony is the latest.
Antony was asked about working with Ronaldo and he told A Bola: “Since I arrived, Cristiano Ronaldo has helped me a lot to feel at ease. He talks to me a lot, even on game days. He always tells me to be calm and confident.
“He has achieved a lot in football, and I learn from him every day. I am very grateful to have such an experienced person by my side helping young people every day. His mentality is so very strong.
“It’s very smart. That mentality of his, of always looking to the next day, with everything still to play, is what I’m trying to absorb and keep for the rest of my life.”
Ronaldo may be unhappy when he isn’t playing, but he can still add value on the training ground, and Antony’s comments indicate that he has taken on that role at Carrington, which wasn’t guaranteed given his ego.
Ten Hag has promoted several academy players to first-team training, and it’s believed that the youngsters have admired the forward, with the opportunity to play alongside one of the greatest players of all time not going unnoticed.
If Ronaldo isn’t playing, he’s setting a good example by offering advice and being a positive influence in the locker room.
Although he is the club’s highest earner, which should be a given, this is not always the case in football.
This is expected to be Ronaldo’s final season at Old Trafford, and it would have been a shame for him to mar his time there with disappointing off-field behavior, but it appears he’s helping others, which critics may not expect from him.
Antony has just exposed to Manchester United fans what Cristiano Ronaldo is like behind the scenes
