'He's a special player' - Ryan Giggs reveals Cristiano Ronaldo warning from Sir Alex Ferguson as Man Utd legend admits first year at Old Trafford was 'hard' for Portugal star

Giggs was speaking to another team-mate, Rio Ferdinand, on the latest episode of Rio Meets. The most decorated Premier League player of all time was effusive in his praise of Ronaldo, but he did suggest the young winger struggled with the physicality and intensity of English football at first. Giggs recalled a training ground incident, where Sir Alex Ferguson called him out for going in too hard on Ronaldo, prompting the gaffer to call the Portuguese superstar "a special player".

However it seemed the legendary manager wasn't always so protective. Perhaps to harden the mercurial winger up, Ferguson wouldn't call fouls on Ronaldo in training if the youngster was deemed to take too many touches. Eventually, that would click for Ronaldo, who went from being a showboating and tricky winger into the consistent goal machine we've seen over the past 20 years. Giggs described Ronaldo as the best player he's ever played with, ranking his impact ahead of the talismanic efforts of Eric Cantona when pressed by Ferdinand.

Giggs said of Ronaldo: "He’s the best. I remember sprinting across in one game in the winter and I’ve took Cristiano out and the manager has gone mad. I’ve gone, ‘it’s a tackle gaffer,’ and he’s gone, ‘I know yeah but just take care. He’s a special player‘.

"The first year was hard for him, but the more I think – and you’d seen it – more in training, where if he took too many touches he’s getting kicked. The gaffer wasn’t giving fouls."

When asked if the manager specifically asked his senior players to try and toughen Ronaldo up, Giggs replied: "I don't think he needed to. I think we already did it."

Ronaldo, nowadays, is plying his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, and his next match comes on Saturday when they take on Yokohama F. Marinos in the Asian Champions League.