CRISTIANO RONALDO’S former Manchester United team-mate Nicky Butt has sung the praises of the Portugal star, commending his team-player mentality and banter.
Butt, 51, only spent one season at United with Ronaldo, but the five-time Champions League winner obviously made a good impression on the Englishman in his 2003/04 debut campaign.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has been serenaded by ex-Man United man Nicky Butt Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
The pair played together in the 2003/04 season Credit: Action Images
Speaking exclusively to Paddy Power, Butt said: “He’s actually a very likeable lad, Cristiano. He’s a top lad, he’s a funny lad, he gets involved with all the banter.
“He’s obviously a mega superstar, a billionaire, but he is actually a good lad to have a chat with.
“It becomes other people’s problem, they’re a bit standoffish from him because they’re in awe of him.
“He’s present, he’s a very, very good team player. He might not look like that on a pitch, he can look like he’s just standing around.
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“But Lionel Messi‘s the same, they’ve got to a certain level and age and they’re not just running around, they’re saving their energy for scoring goals..
“I knew he’d come back from that poor first game, he had a blip, the whole team did.
“People say he can be a problem to the football team when it’s going bad, but when it’s going good and they’ve got possession, he’s a threat and he’s shown that so many times.
“He’s proven people wrong all the time and that’s what he’s done since he was a kid.”
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Following his first two goals at the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo roared “I’m back” at the cameras.
It came after his historical rival Lionel Messi took the tournament by storm, bagging his first ever World Cup hat-trick in Argentina’s opener, before adding two more against Austria.
His goals against Ralf Rangnick‘s side saw the Argentinian become the all-time World Cup top scorer.
And that would have only motivated Ronaldo further, who returns to action on Jattvibeday morning as Portugal face Colombia in a clash which will decide the winners of Group K.
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This year’s World Cup is like no other as a record-breaking 48 nations compete to lift football’s biggest prize.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is hoping to finally bring football home after a 60-year drought.
But footballing legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have other plans in what will likely be their final World Cup appearance.
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