"Leaders do not impose themselves, they appear" - When Ruben Amorim praised Cristiano Ronaldo for being an 'example' for everyone

Incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim was once teammates with club legend Cristiano Ronaldo, and judging by his words, had huge respect for the superstar forward. The pair featured together for the Portuguese national team for four years between 2010 and 2014, which was the extent of Amorim's international career.

Cristiano Ronaldo first captained Portugal in 2007 aged just 22 and has gone on to earn over 150 caps as captain of the Selecao. Ruben Amorim made his international debut at the 2010 FIFA World Cup with the then-Real Madrid man as captain, and he made 14 appearances for Portugal. The pair had a good relationship together and shared the pitch eight times.

Amorim was a versatile utility player, and this reflected in the relationship he had with the national team. In September 2012, manager Paulo Bento invited him as a replacement for attacking midfielder Carlos Martins at a time when Ronaldo struggled with the captaincy. The forward was having a hard time as skipper, and Amorim threw his weight behind him in a press conference.

"Leaders don't impose themselves, they appear naturally. Ronaldo is a leader, he is our captain, an example for everyone and he has our full support."

Cristiano Ronaldo has gone on to build one of the most sensational international careers ever since then. Now with Saudi club Al-Nassr, the forward captained his country to Euro 2016 glory and the UEFA Nations League title in 2019. He has also scored more goals (133), made more appearances (216), and recorded more starts (200) than any other player in international football history.

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Ruben Amorim set to continue Cristiano Ronaldo's Portuguese legacy at Manchester United

Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim has a lot in common with Cristiano Ronaldo, having played alongside him for the national team. They have also been on the books of Sporting, where Ronaldo began his professional career as a teenager.

When Ronaldo swapped Lisbon for Manchester in 2003, he became the first Portuguese player or manager to be on the books of the Red Devils. Since then, several others have joined them, including the likes of Nani, Bruno Fernandes, and Diogo Dalot.

With the agreement between Sporting and Manchester United done for the transfer of Amorim, the manager is set to move to England. He will become the second Portuguese manager after Jose Mourinho to work with the club.

Ruben Amorim will join the Red Devils after the November international break as their substantive replacement for Erik ten Hag. Until his arrival, Ruud van Nistelrooy will remain in interim charge of the side.