‘He was crying!’ - How Man Utd legends Gary Neville & Roy Keane helped to turn Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo into a footballing ‘robot’

The Red Devils knew that they were acquiring a player of exciting potential when doing a deal with Sporting in 2003. Few, however, could have predicted that Ronaldo would go on to become a global phenomenon.

At 41 years of age, CR7 is still going strong with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. Another domestic title has been captured there - to sit alongside those previously secured with United, Real Madrid and Juventus - while the record books continue to be rewritten.

Ronaldo is, as he prepares to captain his country at the 2026 World Cup, chasing down 1,000 competitive goals over the course of a remarkable career that has delivered five Ballons d’Or and a handful of Champions League crowns. All of that has been achieved after learning quickly to roll with the punches and keep sights fixed firmly on the very top of the world game.

Discussing how that process started, former Old Trafford team-mate Djemba-Djemba - speaking exclusively to GOAL courtesy of Betinia NJ - said: “I'm so happy for him because he wants to be there, he always wants to be first, he always wants to be there winning the game, winning the training.

“I remember the training, people they can tackle him every time - Gary Neville, Roy Keane, they were tackling him, but he was there, he was crying, but he would wake up, continue running, and I'm happy for him, he deserved it.”

With there no sign of Ronaldo hanging up history-making boots any time soon, Djemba-Djemba added on the longevity that one of the best to ever play the game can enjoy: “I think he can go to 44, 45, Cristiano can do that, he has energy to do that.

“He's amazing. I don't know how he does it, but he's a robot, he's amazing! I think Cristiano can go until 44, but he cannot do until 44, 45, with the national team and his team. But Cristiano can go to 44, easily.”

While suggesting that CR7 may struggle to juggle the demands of domestic and international action if extending his career for a few more years, Djemba-Djemba admits that it is impossible to rule out the prospect of a seventh World Cup finals being graced.

With FIFA’s flagship event heading to Portugal - alongside Spain and Morocco - in 2030, a man that knows Ronaldo well said of the evergreen frontman achieving the seemingly impossible: “I think if Cristiano goes to 44, and in four years the World Cup is in Portugal, if Cristiano is still playing, I think it will be a good last competition for him to finish his career in Portugal with the World Cup.

“I'm sure in Portugal they will say yes for the manager to bring him to be there in the squad. I would do that for him, bring him in the squad, to say to him thank you for everything he did for his country.”

Ronaldo has already reached 226 and 143 goals for his country, with the expectation being that said tallies will get another boost when gracing a major tournament on North American soil.

It remains to be seen how much football CR7 has left in him once another bid for World Cup glory has been taken in, but he has certainly come a long way from the humble beginnings of being kicked around Carrington by Neville, Keane and Co.