Ancelotti missing as Cristiano Ronaldo names 3 greatest managers in football history

Cristiano Ronaldo has named three greatest managers in football history.

The Portuguese superstar has worked under some of football’s most iconic figures, but when asked to name the best of the best, three names consistently rise to the top: José Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson, and Pep Guardiola.

Ronaldo’s relationship with José Mourinho has long been one of mutual admiration. During their time together at Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, the forward scored a staggering 168 goals in 164 games, more than under any other manager.

“Work with Mourinho again? Why not? I would put him at the top, I always say that,” Ronaldo said in a 2018 interview.

He continued, “I have played for so many great coaches, but Mourinho was a big thinker analytically, he went into everything in great detail.”

Under Mourinho, Ronaldo averaged a goal or assist every 65.2 minutes, showcasing arguably the most lethal version of his game.

Ronaldo has often referred to Sir Alex Ferguson as a father figure, crediting the legendary Manchester United manager with shaping both his career and character.

Their bond, forged during Ronaldo’s first spell at Old Trafford, remains strong to this day.

“Probably he doesn’t remember, but I will say it because it’s a beautiful story,” Ronaldo recalled in a 2021 interview with the club’s official website.

He said, “One day, my father was in hospital, and I was so emotional, very low. And I spoke with him and he said: ‘Cristiano, go there for two or three days.’”

Despite facing crucial fixtures at the time, Ferguson granted Ronaldo time off.

“For me, these are the most important things – apart from winning Champions Leagues, to win the Premier League, to win cups and stuff. So I have to appreciate him, because what he said to me, he always did,” Ronaldo added.

In a later interview, he cited Ferguson as one of the two most successful managers in football history.

Though the two never worked together, Ronaldo has expressed immense respect for Pep Guardiola, citing him as a footballing genius alongside Ferguson.

“The people who understand football, 99% is the people who was there in the dressing room, who was player, who was the most successful coaches in the world,” Ronaldo said.

“Guardiola, Ferguson, they was player before and in the dressing room,” he added.

Despite coming close to joining Manchester City in 2021, a move that would have placed him under Guardiola’s command, Ronaldo ultimately returned to Manchester United.

Nevertheless, the respect between the two remains strong.

“He will score goals all his life,” Guardiola said of Ronaldo in 2021.

He added, “He will be 75 years old, maybe retired, but he would be at his own barbecue playing a game and he’ll score goals.”

For a player who has seen it all, the praise speaks volumes.