'Kids would maybe call it slavery!' - Patrice Evra claims cleaning Cristiano Ronaldo's boots was 'a reward' at Man Utd

Across several generations, youth team players were expected to look after first-team stars. That meant cleaning their boots after outings on mud-soaked pitches. They would receive bonuses at Christmas and were given an early taste of the dedication required to reach the top.

Academy stars nowadays have their own boot deals, can sign lucrative contracts, and see their every whim catered to in state-of-the-art facilities that make them feel like seasoned professionals before a senior bow has been made.

Evra is not convinced that said changes should be considered a good thing. He has told The Telegraph of how stars of tomorrow were forged during Sir Alex Ferguson’s iconic reign at Old Trafford: “Back in the day the kids cleaned our boots – but it was like a reward. ‘Oh my god, I am cleaning the boots of Ronaldo or [Roy] Keane or [Ryan] Giggsy. If you do this today the kids will maybe call it slavery. It is not their fault it is because we give them everything. It is different education, different parents. In the past we learned the tough way and that is what we know and that is where we perform the best.

“If Ferguson gives some of those kids the hairdryer I am not sure they come and show up the next day in training. Could I blame them? No. Because it is a different generation. It is society. It is bigger than football.”

Evra was always happy to take his share of direct instructions from Ferguson, with one particularly memorable team talk being delivered ahead of a Champions League semi-final clash with Lionel Messi and Barcelona in 2008.

Evra, who was lining up alongside five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo at that time, added on facing another GOAT: “Ferguson, in front of everyone, started the meeting like this: ‘Oh guys, today it’s an important game and if we lose it’s because of Patrice’. We looked at each other and I was thinking, ‘Okay this is a lot of pressure’. Ferguson said: ‘Patrice, I don’t care about Messi being the best football player in the world, whatever. If we lose – if we don’t keep Messi quiet – I am going to blame you’. He knew me and he knew how to manage me.

“I know who I am. I know my education. I know where I grew up. I never wanted Alex Ferguson to say, ‘Well done, you played a good game’. I wanted Alex Ferguson to kill me and say, ‘You missed that f*cking pass’. Because I wanted to be perfect.”

That professional drive means that Evra is still training five hours a day while treading a different sporting path. He has taken to mixed martial arts and is hoping to step inside the octagon at some point - having seen a fight in Paris last year cancelled when his opponent withdrew.

Ex-France international Evra said of always wanting to challenge himself: “I grew up watching Bruce Lee movies and I did some kickboxing when I was a kid. I was really intrigued about stepping into the octagon and facing your opponent. Feeling the fear of taking a punch in your face – or not fearing it. It’s difficult to explain. 

“People would say it’s violence but actually MMA is a chase game. It’s all about technique and the way you grab your opponent. It’s not about power. One training session of MMA is like playing 90 minutes of football.”

Evra is now watching on from afar as former team-mate Ronaldo prolongs his record-shattering playing career at 41 years of age. The Portuguese icon has seen a move away from Al-Nassr speculated on after going on strike in the Saudi Pro League - with the evergreen frontman still chasing down 1,000 career goals.