Ferdinand says he 'kicked entertainment factor' out of Ronaldo
Rio Ferdinand has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo was embarrassed to practice on his own after joining Manchester United, but used to take himself out onto a secret pitch at the training ground after his team-mates had left.
Ronaldo transformed himself into one of the best players in the world during his time at United.
The Portuguese sensation signed in 2003 for just £12million from Sporting Lisbon, leaving six years later for £80m.
During his time at Old Trafford, Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 games, winning the Premier League three times as well as the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.
But Ferdinand has revealed that the winger used to be embarrassed about the amount he worked during training.
Rio Ferdinand has opened up on life with Cristiano Ronaldo (Image: GETTY)
The defender explained what it was like to work with the Portuguese ace under Sir Alex Ferguson, and described the way he changed his game during his time at United.
When he started at United, Ronaldo had a reputation for going down too easily and focusing too heavily on skills instead of having an end product.
But by the time he left, he was a prolific forward and could play anywhere across the front line.
That change in focus didn't come about by accident, as Ferdinand explained.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy