OUTRAGEOUS RONALDO TURNED KONCHESKY INSIDE OUT!

THE first time I came up against Cristiano Ronaldo, in an England Under 21 match in Portugal, he made me feel really sorry for my team-mates. To say Ronaldo bamboozled Paul Konchesky that night would be a massive understatement. Poor Konch. He was dizzy by the end of it all, turned inside out by this cocksure 18-year-old forward with all the tricks. Ronaldo (left) was outrageous in that game. He and Ricardo Quaresma were on another level, firing crossfield passes to each other. Ronaldo was so sure of himself he stopped gathering possession the conventional way and started controlling the ball with his back. If you had said to me then that this kid would score 700 career goals, I would have laughed and to see him hit that landmark this week was staggering. That total is just insane and I don’t see him stopping any time soon. When we were together on England duty, Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney would come in and say to us that Ronaldo, who had joined them at Manchester United, was a borderline obsessive in his pursuit of perfection. You see the film-star looks but professionals know you only do what he has done by dedicating every second of every day to self-improvement. Lionel Messi might have more natural gifts but Ronaldo’s determination to get to the same level is astonishing. We talk about him being one of the greatest footballers of all time but that statement needs readdressing. Ronaldo is one of the greatest sportsmen of all time. He is an example to athletes in every field with his commitment and desire to keep getting better. Enjoy him while you can.