Encounter between Giggs and Ronaldo: Insights from that Fateful Day
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Buddy, listen up! Ryan Giggs, the former Welsh ace and Manchester United's ex-captain, reckons Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player he's ever matched steps with at good ol' Man U. Speaking on Rio Ferdinand's podcast, Giggs reminisces about that unforgettable day in Lisbon, way back in 2003, when he caught a glimpse of Ronaldo's electrifying performance at the inauguration of Alvalade Stadium.
"I'd slept two hours in two days due to jet lag, and I was hoping to sit this one out, but when I saw that lanky lad, O'Shea, getting bullied by this shocking-good, unpredictable chap, I knew I was witnessing something extraordinary," Giggs recounts.
"We were all dozing on the bench like a bunch of old cats, when suddenly I saw this guy on the right, then on the left. Hadn't seen nothing like him before. 'Who the hell is this guy? I've never even heard of him', I mutter to myself," he adds.
As the story goes, the team was waiting aboard the bus after the match when the big news dropped — they were about to sign this mysterious newcomer. "I'll wait as long as it takes," Giggs recalls, grinning widest.
"Ronaldo's first year was tough. Too many ball touches, our coach never marked fouls. Heck, I even gave him a good shove to get him sent off, but the boss got steamed at me. 'It was a tackle, boss', I argued, but he just warned me, 'He's a special player'," Giggs remembers with a chuckle.
Eventually, Man U built their team around the Portuguese powerhouse. "He scored every kind of goal — penalties, free kicks, headers, left-footed, right-footed. You name it, he scored it. He was tenacious. We roughed him up in training, he'd take the beating and come back for more. In games? He didn't back down either," Giggs emphasizes.
When asked to rank Ronaldo among his teammates, Giggs' response was swift: "He's the best. Better than Cantona? Without a doubt. Cantona was already 26 when he joined, but here was this young, virtually silent guy coming in, struggling at first, but he was so tough and determined. That's what I dig. He gave his all, and still does," Giggs concludes, wistfully.
[1] As per Ryan Giggs himself, Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player he ever played with at Manchester United, stating this in a recent interview on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast.[3] Giggs emphasized Ronaldo’s bravery, dedication, and ability to "decide games," while also noting the coach's warnings about not roughing him up too much due to his unique talents.
[1] What about Cristiano Ronaldo, Giggs declared him as the best player he ever played with at Manchester United during an interview on Rio Ferdinand's podcast.[2] Giggs, in the same discussion, recounted watching Cristiano Ronaldo's stunning debut at the Alvalade Stadium in 2003, where the Portuguese footballer left a lasting impression on him.[3] In the podcast, Giggs discussed Ronaldo's challenging first season at the club, where despite facing many obstacles, Ronaldo was still able to score various types of goals and show immense resilience in training and games.[4] The former Manchester United captain even shared a moment when he gave Ronaldo a tough tackle, but the manager admonished him, emphasizing that Ronaldo was a special player and that they should be careful not to injure him due to his unique skills.[5] In conclusion, Giggs ranked Ronaldo as the best player he ever played alongside at Manchester United, even surpassing Eric Cantona in his estimation, praising Ronaldo's determination and consistent will to give his all on the pitch.
