Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted that former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is a footballing father figure to him.
The Scot signed Ronaldo, who was then a teenager, from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and developed the Portuguese into one of the finest players in the world.
He scored 118 goals in 291 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, and helped the club to three Premier League titles, one Champions League, one FA Cup, one FIFA Club World Cup and two League Cups.
The 30-year-old, who joined Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2009, also won the prestigious FIFA Ballon d'Or award for the first time a year earlier for his exploits at Old Trafford under Ferguson.
And Ronaldo graciously thanked Ferguson for his successful spell in England.
relatedNewsStory
“He was the key to why I moved here to England because I remember I had a conversation with him when we – Sporting Clube – played against Manchester and we had a quick chat and he told me, ‘Listen I am interested in you, I want you to join us in Manchester’,” he said on The Jonathan Ross Show.
“It was the key, so he is an unbelievable person, the people don’t really know him but I know, he’s unbelievable he treated me very well.
“As I said many times, he is like a father for me in football. I have to appreciate what he did for me, I passed six seasons in Manchester very well; I won many titles in terms of collective and individual.
“It was [an] unbelievable time for me here in England.”
Ronaldo, who has been often linked with a return to Manchester United, insisted that he is still a big fan of the Premier League club; but the Portuguese international was quick to add that he feels settled and happy at Real Madrid.
“I’m a huge supporter of Manchester United – as I say many times, I’m very comfortable in Real Madrid now, I feel happy, But as people know I like Manchester United, I love that club, but the future, nobody knows”, he added.
“But right now I feel good and I feel happy in Real Madrid.”
