“Why is everything about your confidence?” - Edwin van der Sar shares what he told Cristiano Ronaldo about training at Manchester United

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has shared a sneak peek of Cristiano Ronaldo's mindset. The two played together at Old Trafford from 2005 to 2009 before Ronaldo left for Real Madrid.

Together, the duo won three straight Premier League titles and reached back-to-back UEFA Champions League finals, winning one (2008). Widely regarded as one of the best ever to grace the beautiful game, Ronaldo has struck a record 910 times for club and country.

His elite mentality was evident when he was in his 20s as well, blossoming into a world-class player under Sir Alex Ferguson. An accomplished free-kick taker, Ronaldo would ask Van der Sar - one of the best goalkeepers of his generation - to defend his free-kicks instead of the team's second or third-choice custodians.

"I remember after training, Cristiano would ask me to take some free kicks at him," Van der Sar told his former United teammate Rio Ferdinand (as per SI.com). "I would tell him to take the second or third goalkeeper, but he would reply: 'No, no, I want to score against the best!' And if he didn’t succeed, he would try again and again until he scored."

The Dutchman concluded:

"I would say to him, 'Cristiano, what about my self-confidence? Why is everything about your confidence?'"

Van der Sar had a successful six-season spell at Old Trafford, keeping an impressive 135 clean sheets in 266 appearances across competitions, winning four Premier League titles. Meanwhile, Ronaldo scored 145 times across two spells at Manchester United and currently plays for Saudi Pro League giants Al-Nassr.

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Former Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo stars in Portugal's win over Poland

Former Manchester United attacker Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo led from the front as Portugal dismantled Poland 5-1 in a lopsided UEFA Nations League clash at the Estadio do Dragao on Friday (November 15).

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner bagged a 15-minute second-half brace, with his first coming from the spot, as Roberto Martinez's side emphatically returned to winning ways after a goalless draw at Scotland on matchday four.

Ronaldo has scored five times in as many games in the Nations League this season, with his only blank coming in the aforementioned stalemate in Glasgow last month.

The brace against Poland took Ronaldo's goal tally for Portugal to 135 - 23 ahead of his second-placed arch-rival Lionel Messi - in the all-time international men's football scoring charts.