"That makes him what he is now" - Ex-Juventus star Blaise Matuidi reveals what made former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo 'different'

Former Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo's work ethic off the pitch made him different from the rest of the team. The Portuguese superstar arrived in Turin in the summer of 2018 after parting ways with Real Madrid.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner went on to score 101 goals from 134 games across competitions during his three-year stay with Juventus. Ronaldo won two Serie A titles, two Supercoppa Italiana, and one Coppa Italia with the Italian giants.

Speaking to Rio Ferdinand Presents, Matuidi shared that the Portuguese superstar worked the hardest in training.

"When Cristiano arrived to the club, you can be impressed. Then you see him outside the pitch and you feel that this guy, he is here, he is not here for nothing. The first (to) arrive to the field, the first (to) arrive to the facilities, the last to go," said Matuidi.

"I remember one day, we came back from a game and (it) was two in the morning, (we all) wanted to go home. We were tired and (Cristiano) was saying to Mehdi Benatia - I want to go to the gym, I want to do some, some activities there. And we say - you are crazy. Clearly was different and yeah, that makes him what he is now," he added.

Cristiano Ronaldo left Juventus in the summer of 2021 to return to Manchester United. After a brief second stint with the Red Devils, he moved to Al-Nassr in December 2022.

When does Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr expire?

Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr expires at the end of next month, and he is yet to sign an extension. The Portuguese ace recently shared a cryptic post on social media, suggesting his chapter with the Saudi club was over.

However, Al-Nassr sporting director Fernando Hierro insisted that the club want him to stay.

"Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr runs until June 30. We will work to renew his contract so he can continue with us, and there are many clubs interested in signing him," said Hierro (via Reuters).

"Ronaldo's presence from the beginning is a national project. Cristiano has opened up soccer in this country to the world. It's phenomenal that he had the courage to come here, stay here, and open up the Saudi Arabian league to the world," he added.

The 40-year-old has registered 93 goals and 19 assists from 105 games across competitions for Al-Nassr.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar