“There are not many players who know that - so I was lucky” - Ruud Van Nistelrooy shares what he learned from Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United

Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has opened up on what he learned from Cristiano Ronaldo during their time at Manchester United. He praised the Portuguese icon's work ethic, saying he was lucky to have witnessed him develop at Old Trafford.

Van Nistelrooy and Ronaldo shared the dressing room at the Manchester club between 2003 and 2006. At the time, the Dutchman was one of the most prolific forwards in the game, while the then-Portuguese youngster was still in the developing stages of his career.

Ronaldo went on the establish himself as one of the best players in the world at Old Trafford, winning the Ballon d'Or in 2008, and four more since then. The Al-Nassr star recently turned 40 and is still active and prolific in the game, thanks to his work ethic and professionalism.

After naming teenagers Jeremy Monga and Jake Evans in his Leicester City squad for their FA Cup clash with United on Friday (February 7), Ruud van Nistelrooy was asked to name the players who impressed him the most. He replied (via Mirror):

"There are so many - but seeing a young Cristiano Ronaldo come into the Manchester United dressing room and develop, within three years, into the best player in the world, was the greatest development I've ever seen."

Van Nistelrooy praised Cristiano Ronaldo's work ethic, claiming that he learned from the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"So if you see how he works, how he lives his life to be the best he can be - that's the elite standard. He came into our dressing room with those standards, and he's said in interviews, I came into that dressing room and I had to live up to those standards every day," he said.

"He was open to learn and improve, and he worked and worked and worked every day, on the pitch, in the gym, in the recovery sessions, in his food, in his treatment. When you have seen those standards at the highest level, and you experience what that is - there are not many players who know that - so I was lucky," van Nistelrooy added.

The Leicester City manager concluded by revealing that he had adopted Ronaldo's standards and shared them with young players under his tutelage.

"I feel privileged that I can share that knowledge, and they became my standards. So when I see Cristiano or a 19-year-old Xavi Simons come from Paris (Saint Germain) on a free - he believed in the pathway at PSV with me as the manager, with the training model we have to improve young players. He bought into it and the rest is history. It's standards and talent combined," he added.

Van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo played 91 matches together for the Red Devils, recording 12 joint-goal participations.

Cristiano Ronaldo's record at Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo first joined Manchester United in 2003 as an 18-year-old from Sporting CP. He spent six seasons with the Red Devils, scoring 118 goals and creating 59 more in 292 games. He also helped the club to two Premier League titles and the 2008 UEFA Champions League before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009.

The 40-year-old returned to Old Trafford in 2021 but failed to lead the Red Devils to any trophy. He, however, came up clutch for the side on several occasions, contributing 27 goals and five assists in 53 games.