5 famous Portuguese players who consider Cristiano Ronaldo as their idol

While his club career is definitely a tale for the legends, Cristiano Ronaldo's journey with the Portugal national team has also been impressive in recent years. The former Real Madrid superstar recently surpassed Ali Daei as the highest scorer in men's international football, cementing his name among the world's greatest. With such a glittering professional journey, Cristiano Ronaldo was bound to attract an insurmountable amount of devotees.

Famous personalities who idolize Cristiano Ronaldo

An absolute workhorse, the goal-machine is widely popular for his unparalleled commitment to the game. Subsequently, Cristiano Ronaldo has ended up inspiring a hoard of young prodigies through his commendable work ethic. Kylian Mbappe famously named him his idol, crediting the Portuguese for his current ideology of the sport.

Mbappe's potential future Ballon d'Or rival Erling Haaland has also named Cristiano Ronaldo as his role model, with the Norwegian perfectly embodying his icon's ideals. Tottenham talisman Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford are some of the other elite-level players to have named the 182-capped Portugal international as their idol.

Aside from the aforementioned big names, Cristiano Ronaldo also has a plethora of admirers in his native country. In fact, his prolonged career has managed to inspire several of his Portugal teammates. Taking his invaluable impact on budding youngsters into consideration, let's take a look at five Portugal players who idolized Cristiano Ronaldo during their youth:

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#5 Andre Gomes

Gomes playing for Barcelona

One of the few lucky players to have played alongside both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Andre Gomes arguably had a better experience with the latter. While his stint at Barcelona was nothing short of horrific, Gomes' brief spell with the Portugal national team reaped much better results.

The former Valencia midfielder featured heavily in Portugal's fabled Euro 2016 win. Having partnered Cristiano Ronaldo on 21 occasions, Gomes had nothing but praise for his compatriot. In 2016, he was recorded saying:

"Cristiano Ronaldo is a very important player, who is always present and ready to play. He is very serious about the responsibility of leading our country, we have great spirit, and he’s a great example for all of us."

The 29-capped Portugal international is currently plying his trade at Everton, having permanently departed Barcelona in 2019.

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#4 Fabio Silva

Silva is still in his teen-age

Fabio Silva caught the world's attention in 2019, when he made his professional debut at the tender age of 17 for Porto. Although Silva could only manage three goals in his debut campaign, his immense potential compelled Wolverhampton Wanderers to splash €40 million on the Portugal international the following year.

Due to his impressive positioning skills and incredible work ethic, Silva had drawn striking comparisons to the one and only Cristiano Ronaldo. Commenting on their similarities, he said:

"For me, he [Ronaldo] is the best in the history of football, so being compared to such a legendary player. It's an amazing feeling. He is an absolute inspiration and as a young player, it's so important to have a role model like Cristiano."

The youngster has had a tough start to life in England, struggling to settle into the senior squad. However, at 19, Silva has plenty of time to catch up to his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.

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#3 Diogo Jota

Jota has been sensational for Liverpool

Another Portuguese superstar, inspired by the stellar footballing journey of Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Jota is making waves with Liverpool at present. Having joined from Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, the Portugal international has quickly established his place in the starting lineup.

The 24-year-old forward, who is viewed as the ideal heir to Roberto Firmino's throne at Anfield, has experienced a sudden rise to prominence. Commenting on his childhood hero in an interview with FourFourTwo, Jota stated:

"Cristiano was my idol – I saw him playing at the highest level at Manchester United, winning the Ballon d’Or and other awards. Being Portuguese, I’ve always looked up to him as an example to follow."

The prolific forward has extended his red-hot form of the 2020-21 season this campaign, scoring four goals in nine Premier League appearances. A team-mate of Cristiano Ronaldo in the national setup, Jota has improved massively under his idol's guidance.

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#2 Joao Felix

Atletico Madrid v Liverpool FC: Group B - UEFA Champions League

Another teenage prodigy to have grown up idolizing Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix has experienced a much steeper upward curve in his career trajectory than Fabio Silva. The Atletico Madrid star is already an integral part of a Champions League club at such a young age.

The second most expensive teenager in football history, Felix has voiced his appreciation for idol Cristiano Ronaldo on multiple occasions. He publicly stated his respect for his compatriot, saying:

"Cristiano is my childhood idol, he is an example in everything for me. I was still a child and he was already the best player in the world. He is unique."

Even though Felix is yet to justify the hefty price Atletico Madrid paid to acquire him, the youngster has impressed in flashes. The 21-year-old forward has the potential to succeed in the game and possibly compete for Cristiano Ronaldo's throne in the Portugal squad in the future.

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#1 Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes has revived Manchester United from the depths of mid-table mediocrity

Affectionately labeled "Agent Bruno" by fans for his role in Cristiano Ronaldo's summer move to Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes has been a known admirer of his compatriot. The duo have linked up brilliantly at Old Trafford so far, playing in nine games together for the Red Devils.

The former Sporting CP talisman famously admitted to having joined Manchester United because of Cristiano Ronaldo. Speaking to Sky Sports in 2020, Fernandes said:

"I’m a Cristiano Ronaldo fan and he’s a player I’ve always followed. When Cristiano burst on to the scene here in Manchester, he spent a good chunk of his early career here and enjoyed so much success."

While one is a lethal finisher, possessing an acute sense of positioning, the other is a masterful innovator, creating chances out of thin air. In Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal and Manchester United have two of the most gifted footballers of the current generation on their ranks.

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