After being inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, English football coach and former player Ashley Cole named Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo as the toughest opponent he faced in his career.
Cole, a former player for Chelsea and Arsenal, will be inducted into the 2024 Premier League Hall of Fame, the Premier League said on Monday.
Cole described Ronaldo as a “complete footballer,” describing the Al-Nassr striker as such.
He also mentioned how the former ManU player, who came from Sporting CP, adjusted to English top-tier football quickly.
The former athlete said that he had “nightmares on the pitch” from Ronaldo.
Cole remarked, “I have a great deal of respect for Cristiano Ronaldo and we have had some fierce battles over the years.”
He was a bit of an unknown when he first joined the Premier League, but he quickly learned what it takes to be a premier player. He was prepared to change and grow. He turned into a machine in an attempt to become the greatest player in the world.
“Everything was his. He claimed to be able to leap, jump, head a ball, dribble, dash behind, and move both inside and outside.
“I say this because he constantly caused me nightmares, but you try to sort things out, and sometimes we were able to get the better of one other. I can’t help but think of the day he had me perform the splits whenever I hear his name or see his face! [During Ronaldo’s inaugural Premier League season, 2003–04].”
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