“‘I went really?’” - Thierry Henry opens up on what ex-Manchester United star Louis Saha told him privately about Cristiano Ronaldo

Arsenal icon Thierry Henry recently revealed what former Manchester United star Louis Saha told him about Cristiano Ronaldo in the early days of the Portuguese superstar's career. Ronaldo's performances during his first stint at Manchester United (2003-2009) placed him among the greatest Premier League players of all time.

Ronaldo signed for the Red Devils as a teenager from Sporting CP under Sir Alex Ferguson and had an impressive run before moving to Real Madrid in 2009. He won one UEFA Champions League title, three Premier League titles, and one FA Cup among other honors with United.

After successful years at Real Madrid (2009-2018) and Juventus (2018-2021), Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021. However, things did not turn out well for him in his second stint as his contract was terminated after a reported fallout with then-manager Erik ten Hag.

In 346 outings for the Red Devils, Ronaldo contributed 145 goals and 64 assists across competitions over both stints.

On an episode of Monday Night Football (MNF) by Sky Sports, Thierry Henry shared an anecdote about what his France teammate Louis Saha once told him about the Portuguese icon. He recalled (via TBR Football):

“What I’ll give him [Ronaldo] a lot of credit for besides his quality is the work ethic. He’s still playing, running, and making a difference. You look at his body and it’s better than when he was younger!"

“I remember Louis Saha saying to me that this guy was going to be the best in the world when he was playing for Manchester United. I went. 'Really?’ and he told me his work ethic was second to none. The sky is the limit and he did prove it.”

Louis Saha was teammates with Ronaldo at Old Trafford between 2004 and 2008 and shared the pitch in 94 games. They recorded seven joint-goal contributions.

---

"It was probably the wrong decision" - When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer shared his take on Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United

L to R: Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Cristiano Ronaldo - Source: Getty

In a November 2024 interview with NRK in Norway, former Manchester United player and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær shared his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford in 2021.

"It was probably the wrong decision for all of us, but at the time, we felt it was the right one. With him, we had no issues with the ball, but we had to change how we pressed. We were one of the teams that pressed the most before he arrived," Solskjaer said (via beIN Sports).

The Norwegian tactician had managed Cristiano Ronaldo for a few months in 2021 before he was replaced by interim manager Ralf Ragnick. Erik ten Hag eventually took over as coach in 2022. Speaking further about changed team dynamics, Solksjaer said:

"I think it affected the dynamics. Perhaps some players felt less important, because, logically, a global superstar had arrived."

Under Solksjaer, Cristiano Ronaldo recorded nine goals and two assists in 13 outings across competitions for Manchester United. The duo also shared the pitch for the Red Devils 32 times during the Norwegian's playing years between 2003 and 2007.