Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson: Cristiano Ronaldo could score for anyone - Lionel Messi's a Barcelona player

 

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Tom Dutton25 April 2015

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has heaped praise on Cristiano Ronaldo, who he managed between 2003-2009.

The Portugal international scored 84 Premier League goals in six seasons at Old Trafford and earlier this year edged out rival Lionel Messi to claim a second successive Ballon d'Or trophy.

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And asked which player came on the most while under his management at United, Ferguson told BBC Sport: "Ronaldo is the biggest improvement really because he came as a young skinny kid at 17 and he had all these things about him. People used to criticise him for diving and all the rest of it, but once the players got about him on the training pitch he was fantastic.

"The most important thing for a great player is decision-making and that improved over the time.

"People say, who's the best player in the world and plenty of people rightly say Lionel Messi - you can't dispute that opinion. But Ronaldo could play for Millwall, Queens Park Rangers and Doncaster and score a hat-trick - I'm not sure Messi could do it.

"Ronaldo's got two feet, quick, brave in the air. I think Messi's a Barcelona player."

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