Gary Neville, a Manchester United legend, has opened up about his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo during their time at the club. Despite being teammates for several years, Neville admitted that they were never particularly close, explaining that he never spoke to Ronaldo for about eight or nine years during their playing careers at Old Trafford. While Neville praised Ronaldo as a “great teammate” and a “special player,” he revealed that they were not friends. He acknowledged that Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United in 2021 brought expectations, particularly for the Portuguese star to be a leader for the younger players.
Neville expressed his disappointment with Ronaldo’s attitude toward the end of his second stint at Manchester United, especially as younger players like Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood struggled with the pressure of playing for such a high-profile club. Ronaldo, who had experienced immense success at Real Madrid and Juventus, was seen as someone who could have mentored and guided these players.
Ronaldo’s second spell at Manchester United, however, did not go as planned. After a promising return in 2021, during which he scored 24 goals and provided three assists in the 2021-22 season, things took a turn under manager Erik ten Hag. Ronaldo only managed three goals and two assists in 16 appearances under Ten Hag before his contract was terminated in December 2022, following his controversial interview with Piers Morgan. He eventually moved to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Despite the disappointment of his later years at the club, Ronaldo’s legacy as one of Manchester United’s greatest players remains intact, particularly for his earlier contributions.
