Manchester United legend Nicky Butt has disclosed that Cristiano Ronaldo is significantly more approachable and humorous in the dressing room than his public reputation suggests.
Butt, who played with Ronaldo during the 2003-2004 season, noted that many people remain standoffish simply because they are in awe of the global superstar.
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Beyond his personality, Butt also highlighted Ronaldo’s phenomenal work ethic and dedication, noting that his success resulted from sheer hard work and a relentless desire to be the best in the world.
Addressing criticisms of Ronaldo’s defensive work, Butt argued that veterans like Ronaldo and Lionel Messi calculate their physical output, saving their energy to act as lethal threats in possession.
“He’s actually a very likeable lad, Cristiano. He’s a top lad, he’s a funny lad, he gets involved with all the banter,” Butt told Paddy Power.
“He’s obviously a mega superstar, a billionaire, but he is actually a good lad to have a chat with. It becomes other people’s problem; they’re a bit standoffish from him because they’re in awe of him.
“He’s present, he’s a very, very good team player. He might not look like that on a pitch, he can look like he’s just standing around.”
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Recall that Ronaldo started the opening Group K match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 but looked frustrated, failing to score against DR Congo. He received criticism for a lackluster showing, with some pundits and fans questioning his effectiveness on the pitch.
Bouncing back emphatically, Ronaldo silenced his critics by netting a first-half brace (two goals) against Uzbekistan. He opened the scoring within the first six minutes of the match and added his second before halftime.
