Diogo Dalot has disclosed that Cristiano Ronaldo warned him a Manchester United striker would not succeed at the club during Ronaldo's second stint at Old Trafford. The revelation comes as part of a heartfelt tribute from Dalot to his fellow Portuguese star.
Ronaldo's Return to Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo made a dramatic return to Manchester United in the summer of 2021, after nearly joining local rivals Manchester City. During his first spell at the club, he established himself as a global icon, helping Sir Alex Ferguson secure three Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy. Ronaldo also won the Ballon d'Or while at United, an award he would claim four more times during his legendary tenure at Real Madrid.
United fans were ecstatic about his comeback, but the move did not go as planned. Ronaldo left after just 18 months, having scored 27 goals in 54 appearances. Despite the mixed on-pitch impact, he played a crucial role mentoring teammates, particularly Dalot.
Dalot's Insights on Ronaldo's Predictions
Dalot, who remains at Manchester United, said he 'learned so much' from Ronaldo and 'lost count' of the predictions the veteran got right. In a piece for The Players' Tribune, Dalot recalled: 'My idol turned out to be one of the best people I've ever met. We would talk for hours in the hotel, in the gym, at the dinner table.'
He added: 'Around that time, I liked Milan so much that I thought maybe we could make something work. They really wanted me, and I also had meetings with other clubs. One day I got a text from Cristiano. "Kid, stay. I'm coming back to Manchester." He was saying that United is the best club in the world, that we would get back to the top if only we changed a few things.'
Dalot continued: 'That season with Cristiano was when I really started to grow as a player and as a person. I lost count of the number of predictions he got right, because he knows so well what it takes to go to the top. If anyone skipped a set in the gym, he would notice. We had a striker here who did really well for us in his first season, but Cristiano said, "He's not gonna make it here." I said, "Cris, he scored two goals today!" He said, "Yeah, but he didn't have the fire to go for the third." When your rival is Messi, nothing is ever enough.'
Ronaldo's Mentality and Dedication
Dalot also shared anecdotes about Ronaldo's relentless drive. 'Another time we were having lunch before playing Young Boys in the Champions League group stage, and he said, "I'm so nervous." The guy had won the tournament five times, but he wanted his sixth so badly. I honestly thought he was joking, but then I looked down, and his right leg was trembling under the table.'
He added: 'He could process anything in three hours. One time he was benched at United, and he just couldn't handle it. He was shouting and cursing. I'm like, "Cris, you OK?" He said, "Give me three hours." Three hours later, he was calm. He said, "Yeah, I'm angry. But do you think this will affect the rest of my day?"'
Dalot noted that even now, when they meet with the national team, Ronaldo shares new 'mechanisms' – medical devices, recovery treatments, or mental models. 'We call them mechanisms. "Yo, Cris, new mechanisms. What have you got for me?"'
Ronaldo's World Cup Prospects
Ronaldo, now 41, is preparing for his sixth World Cup with Portugal. Despite debates over his role in the squad, Dalot dismissed the criticism. 'To me, it's totally crazy that anyone could even debate whether he should play at the World Cup. Is he running like he's 22? No. Is he scoring a goal per game? Yes. Does he make us all better? Yes. The guy is 41. He doesn't need to be there, playing with people who are young enough to be his kids, but he is.'
Dalot added: 'Every time you meet him, you leave a little wiser. After I met Cristiano, my goal was not just to work as much as possible, but to stay in the best possible state mentally and physically.'
Ronaldo has scored a record 143 goals in 227 international appearances. Portugal are in World Cup Group K alongside DR Congo, Colombia, and Uzbekistan.
