"He told me he was going to be the best player in the world" - Former Manchester United coach Mick Clegg on working with Cristiano Ronaldo

Mick Clegg has explained how Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has established himself among the greatest players in history. Clegg was the power development coach at Old Trafford when the Portuguese arrived from Sporting CP in the summer of 2003.

The Englishman said that Ronaldo told him he was going to become the best player in the world. What followed next was a lot of sacrifices and hard work culminating in the fulfilment of the Portuguese's dream.

Clegg told Manchester Evening News:

"When he told me he was going to be the best player in the world; I’d heard that before, but when someone makes a claim like that, you watch to see if it’s right. What he was doing was sorting his life out, all the bits he didn’t know, didn’t understand, or needed to improve on and increase knowledge of, that’s what he wanted. He had a really good concept, the concept just needed expanding on."

Clegg also spoke about what it felt like working with Ronaldo. According to the Englishman, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner possesses qualities that qualify him to be called a genius. Clegg continued:

"He (Ronaldo) was a marvel to work with; he ended up becoming the pattern for me, for development to be the best. His pattern can be used for anything, any sport or any busines; it’s understanding all the things you require, and that’s what he epitomises."

Clegg added:

"He was very thoughtful about what he needed. People tend to think of geniuses as professors at university, but this guy is a genius because without the knowledge from schools, he was able, in his own mind, to put something together that was as perfect as possible for him to get to the desired dream."

---

Cristiano Ronaldo's numbers for Manchester United this season

Ronaldo in action for Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo sealed a sensational return to Old Trafford after parting ways with Juventus last summer. He has wasted no time in making his impact felt, putting up some incredible performances in the last few months.

The 37-year-old has bagged 18 goals and three assists in 32 appearances across competitions this season. With a few more games to go before the campaign concludes, the Portuguese will look to add more to his tally as United eye a top-four finish.

Currently, United trail fourth-placed Arsenal by four points, having played a game more.