Former Manchester United star Eric Cantona weighed in on Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent behaviour and compared it to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s work at Milan.
The five time Ballon d’Or winner left Juventus for the Red Devils in the summer of 2021 and things initially started well following his return, with the Portuguese star quickly winning over the fans. Things changed this season and he forced his way out of the club after a controversial interview with Piers Morgan, ultimately signing a two-year deal with Al-Nassr.
Speaking via Calciomercato.com, Cantona discussed Ronaldo’s situation and drew comparisons to other veterans like Ibrahimovic.
“There are two types of veterans: those who want to play every game because they still think they’re 25 and those who realise they’re not 25 and are here to help young players, they know they won’t play every game, but they’re aware that they’ll have their moment.
“There are players who help new players: Ibrahimovic still does it with Milan, Ryan Giggs or Maldini himself when he was at Milan. Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t realise he’s not 25 years old.
“He’s already older and doesn’t know that, instead of being unhappy about not having played all the time, he should accept the situation.”
At the age of 40, Ibrahimovic played a vital role in Milan’s Scudetto success last season, being a point of reference on the pitch and an important leader in the dressing room. The Swedish veteran netted eight goals in 23 league games and played through injury to help the team lift their first league title in over a decade.