Benfica boss Bruno Lage namedrops Cristiano Ronaldo when speaking about figures that put Portugal football on the map

Benfica manager Bruno Lage has named Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the key figures in the history of Portuguese football. He namedropped the Al-Nassr superstar, along with Jose Mourinho and Eusebio, as icons who put the country on the football map.

Speaking to the media after beating Mourinho's Fenerbahce 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, Lage said that he had achieved nothing to be compared to the former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager. He added that the 62-year-old should be considered among the greats who helped develop Portuguese football and said (via Sporty):

"The only thing I have managed to achieve in my career is that, over the last 20 years, as I have already said, in 2004, I won the U11 championship. While [Jose] Mourinho was winning the UEFA Cups and Champions League. In 20 years, I can be happy to have reached a level where I can play against him. Because 20 years ago, our country was known for Amalia and Eusebio. Today, our football is known for Eusebio, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mr Mourinho, for sure."

Benfica dominated the game at Estádio da Luz on Wednesday, August 27, and sealed a 1-0 win. Fenerbahce played the final minutes of the game with 10 men after Talisca got sent off, helping the Portuguese side qualify for the group stage.

Bruno Lage was happy to welcome Cristiano Ronaldo at Wolverhampton in 2022

Cristiano Ronaldo was linked with an exit from Manchester United in January 2022, and Bruno Lage admitted that he would be delighted to add the superstar to his Wolverhampton squad. He claimed that the then-36-year-old still had a lot to offer on the pitch and said (via Manchester Evening News):

"If they are not happy with him, I have a place for him here. But I know they are happy with him. When you look for a player the most important thing is to see what he can give to your team. When you have a player like him who can score goals, it is hard to believe he is 36. He has been at this level since he was very young. He is a machine; he wants to score, to score, to score. He is a massive player, I think any team in the world would want a player like him."

Cristiano Ronaldo eventually left Manchester United in November 2022, having mutually terminated his contract with the Red Devils. The Portuguese superstar went on to join Al-Nassr, where he has extended his contract until 2027.