Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has named Cristiano Ronaldo as the player he learned the most from during his spell at Real Madrid. The Frenchman spent ten seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu before moving to the Premier League in the summer of 2021.
Varane said that he learned a lot from Cristiano Ronaldo's work ethics during training sessions and games. The 30-year-old centre-back spoke highly of his former teammate's urge to keep pushing himself and always wanting more.
Speaking to BT Sport (via Madrid Zone), Varane said:
"Who at Madrid did I learn from the most? It's difficult, but maybe Ronaldo. He cares about every detail. His motivation was huge for every training and game. He always wants more."
Varane and Ronaldo spent seven seasons together at Real Madrid. The pair were instrumental in a dominant period in the club's history, winning three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles from 2016 to 2018. They also won two La Liga, a Copa Del Rey and four Champions League titles among other accolades.
It's worth mentioning that Varane and Ronaldo were also teammates for a season and a half at Manchester United. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, though, left the club on a free transfer in December 2022 to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
Varane and Ronaldo shared the pitch 232 times for Real Madrid and Manchester United. The pair had one goal contribution between them throughtout their time in the Spain capital. Ronaldo assisted Varane during their 2-1 UEFA Champions League win against Sporting CP in 2017.
Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed stellar time at Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid from Manchester United in the summer of 2009 for a then world record fee of £80 million. The Portuguese superstar spent nine seasons at the club and ended up becoming their all-time record goalscorer.
Ronaldo scored 450 goals and provided 131 assists in 438 games for Madrid. That included 105 goals in 101 Champions League games. Ronaldo went on to play with some modern greats at Madrid, like Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric