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Coveted AC Milan winger Rafael Leao has named Cristiano Ronaldo and former Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the two best players he has played alongside. When the Portugal international was asked to name the best teammates he ever had, he named the two superstars of modern football.
In an interview with the fashion magazine L'Officiel, Leao said, as quoted by Desporto AO Minuto:
"Not one, but two: Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo."
Rafael Leao has made a name for himself as one of the most explosive wingers in recent years. The Portugal international has been a key player for AC Milan since joining the Rossoneri in 2019 from French side Lille in a deal worth €35 million.
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He has made 260 appearances for the Serie A giants till date, having scored 70 goals and produced 62 assists. He has helped the Rossoneri win one Serie A title and one Supercoppa Italiana and was named Serie A Most Valuable Player in 2021-22.
Leao has shared the dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo for the Portugal national team and won the UEFA Nations League 2024-25 together. The two have played together 31 times and have one joint goal participation.
Meanwhile, he played 48 times alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic for AC Milan and had six joint goal participations. Leao has been heavily linked with Ibrahimovic's former club Barcelona in recent months.
When Barcelona president Joan Laporta revealed why he rejected signing Cristiano Ronaldo for €17 million
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed that he rejected the chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in 2024 for just €17 million. The Portuguese superstar went on to play for rivals Real Madrid later and became their record goalscorer.
However, Laporta has claimed that Barcelona were offered Ronaldo for just €17 million when he was moving to Manchester United. He claimed that the Blaugrana opted to invest elsewhere and he does not regret his decision. Laporta said, via GiveMeSport:
"We were about to sign Ronaldinho and Rafa Marquez. Marquez's people proposed Cristiano Ronaldo to us. He was at Sporting at the time. One of his agents said that they had a player who they had sold to [Manchester] United for €19 million, but they'd sell him to us for €17 million. But we had already invested in Ronaldinho at the time. Cristiano played more out wide than in the centre. We thought we were covered, so we rejected him and I don't regret it."
Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a stellar career featuring for clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and is now plying his trade for Al-Nassr. For almost two decades, he forged a big rivalry with Barcelona's poster boy Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo played 34 times against Barcelona throughout his career and won on ten occasions while drawing nine and losing 15. He scored 20 goals against the Catalan giants while providing three assists.
