In a long detailed interview with Spanish publication, AS, Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti spoke a lot about his former club Real Madrid and focused a lot of time on his former star – and reigning Ballon d’Or winner – Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Italian enjoyed a fine two-year spell with Real Madrid where he won them the coveted La Decima UEFA Champions League title and now, two years after leaving the club, he looks back at his time there commenting on Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and Sergio Ramos.
Cristiano Ronaldo is considered one of the best forwards the game has ever seen and when asked if he was the best player he’s coached yet, Ancelotti said, “One of the most important, without a doubt.
“He's highly dedicated, really professional, and also scores in almost every game. For a coach, he's crucial. When I left Real Madrid, he gave me his public support, but the greatest help he gave me was by the way he trained day in, day out, by being an example to his team-mates and by scoring lots of goals.”
And with Ronaldo having just won the Ballon d’Or for the fourth time in his career, the Italian was asked if the Portuguese star could win more in the future. “Of course,” he said.
“For many this is the era of Messi, but it's also the era of Cristiano. The competition between them has improved them. Messi is better because he's had Cristiano, and Cristiano is better because he's had Messi.”
The former Chelsea manager was then asked about his then-assistant manager Zinedine Zidane whom he felt had the makings of a fine coach. “Real Madrid are on an impressive run, they're doing really well in LaLiga and they've qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League like the other big clubs.
“Back then I could already see that he had the makings of a fine coach. All that he was lacking was experience, but that's something you get by coaching day in, day out, working and talking with the players. Zidane has knowledge, charisma, personality... He has it all. Experience isn't the most important thing.”
Zidane owes a lot to the performances of his Spanish centre-back Sergio Ramos – someone who Ancelotti jokes could be a great centre-forward!
“He (Ramos) continues to score miraculous goals,” he said.
“He does it because he has quality in front of goal; in fact, he could easily have been a forward. I sometimes joked with him, telling him I was going to pick him at centre-forward. That personality and character that he has are really important to teams.”
