"There was no one like him, and there has been nothing like him since" - Rio Ferdinand lauds Cristiano Ronaldo's first stint at Manchester United

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has lavished praise on Cristiano Ronaldo for his first season at the club. Ferdinand spoke about the Portuguese ace on his YouTube channel, Vibe with FIVE.

The legendary central defender said that Ronaldo was phenomenal in his first stint at United. Ferdinand added that there has been no one like Ronaldo since then:

"I would advise people to go back and watch clips of Cristiano Ronaldo in Man Utd shirt. There was no one like him, and there has been nothing like him since."

Watch Rio Ferdinand talk about Cristiano Ronaldo:

Ronaldo won the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United in his first stint at the club. He became the best player in the world in that period before leaving the Red Devils for Real Madrid in 2009.

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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand defended Cristiano Ronaldo for Al-Nassr move

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr as a free agent after terminating his Manchester United contract in November by mutual consent. The move to Al-Nassr became official on December 31, 2022.

Ronaldo received criticism from experts and the media for moving to Saudi Arabia. Many believe the player took a step down in his career. Ferdinand, though, defended his former teammate, saying:

"The media is shameful. When Rooney, Beckham, Lampard and Gerrard went to America, they said it was a great way to end their careers, to make a lot of money in a league that isn't as competitive as they deserved.

"This is all I have been reading in the media. But when Cristiano Ronaldo decided to do this, it became a shame and a disaster all because he went to Saudi Arabia."

He added:

"I'm glad he's finally happy. For any footballer, whatever his level, happiness and being content in the environment in which we play is one of the most important things.

"He hasn't been happy for a while, so I'm glad he's about to find that happiness again, even if it's at an unexpected club. But what an adventure for him to go to Saudi Arabia, to discover a brand new league, a highly competitive league by the way in Asia."

Ronaldo has made 19 appearances for the Saudi Pro League club since making his debut in January. He has bagged 14 goals and provided three assists across competitions.