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Former Manchester United defender Ritchie De Laet has shared an interesting anecdote about Cristiano Ronaldo’s competitive nature from their time together at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2003 as an 18-year-old and soon developed into one of the greatest players in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo appeared 292 times for Manchester United over a period of six seasons and scored 118 goals.
He was instrumental in the Red Devils’ golden run in the league and Europe, picking up three Premier League titles, one Champions League, one FA Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup, among others.
It was during this time that Ritchie De Laet shared the dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo for a couple of months. The Belgian recently spoke to HLN and recalled a particular game of table tennis that showcased the Portuguese’s hunger for victory.
“We were playing table tennis with our teammates and I beat him in one match. Then, Cristiano bought his own table tennis table to practice and that didn't happen again,” said De Laet.
It was this competitive nature that propelled Cristiano Ronaldo to the pinnacle of success at Old Trafford, helping him win the Ballon d’Or in 2008.
Ronaldo ultimately left Old Trafford for Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, but by then, he was already part of Manchester United folklore.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s competitive mentality the key to his success
Cristiano Ronaldo’s competitive mentality has been the key to his immense success. The Portuguese has been among the best players in the world for more than a decade.
After becoming one of the finest players in Manchester United's history, Cristiano Ronaldo hit an even higher gear at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he amassed 450 goals from 438 appearances and won four more Ballon d’Ors.
Ronaldo moved to Juventus in 2018 and has continued his golden run in Italy as well. He already has 101 goals from 133 appearances for the Bianconeri.
The 36-year-old was also a key player for Portugal at Euro 2020, but despite his heroics, the Selecao were knocked out of the tournament by Belgium in the Round of 16.
However, the Juventus star still managed to score five goals, and in doing so, he equaled the record of the most international goals set by Ali Daei of Iran.
It is Cristiano Ronaldo’s competitive nature and zeal to be the best that has made him an inspiration for footballers everywhere.
