Luiz Gustavo says Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t just an ordinary person

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Sao Paulo midfielder Luiz Gustavo has waxed lyrical about former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Brazilian, who played alongside the Portuguese superstar at Al-Nassr, claimed that Ronaldo is not an ordinary player and he always inspires the players around him.

He said (via CristianoXtra on Twitter): “Cristiano Ronaldo is truly an example and a role model. He is an inspiration to the new generation without a doubt. We will miss the kind of players like him with his career, his mentality, his discipline and his love not only for football, but for his well-being, which is very important to him. He is an intelligent man, he knows that he is not just an ordinary person.”

Gustavo spent the most of his career in Germany, beginning with Hoffenheim in 2008. He then secured a big move to Bayern Munich in 2011, playing with the Bavarian giants for two seasons before moving to Wolfsburg.

He played for multiple clubs in Europe, including Marseille and Fenerbahce, before joining Al-Nassr in July 2022, just half a season before Ronaldo arrived. He left at the end of the season and eventually returned home, signing with Sao Paulo at the beginning of the year.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, remains a top player even at the age of 39 and has been scoring for fun for Al-Nassr. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored 28 goals and provided 11 assists in 29 games across competitions this season. In total, he has 42 goals and 13 assists in 48 games for the Saudi Pro League side.

The Portuguese superstar came through the youth ranks of Sporting CP before reaching the top with Manchester United. After his glorious stint at Old Trafford, Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid where he spent nine years and joined Juventus in 2018. A return to Manchester United followed and now he is plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League. He has been the biggest reason behind the remarkable rise of the Saudi Pro League and the huge influx of top players from across the globe.