ANDERSON has recalled his days living with Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Manchester United.
The Brazilian, now 35, joined the Red Devils from Porto in 2007.
With the midfielder just 19 at the time, his fellow Portuguese speaker Ronaldo, four years his senior, took him under his wing.
Anderson had just won the prestigious European Golden Boy award but was left in awe by Ronaldo’s work-rate.
Recalling their time together, he told Brazilian programme Globoesporte: “Nani and I lived at Cristiano Ronaldo’s house for almost a year.
“Training was at 9:30, but sometimes we had to go at 6:30, because Ronaldo was at the club and we went with him.
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“Nani and I, we slept there on the stretchers and waited, because his work had to start.”
On just how willing to help Ronaldo was, Anderson revealed: “As soon as I arrived in Manchester I went to Cristiano’s house. I appreciated it very much. He adopted me.
“Nani and I lived in CR7’s house for almost a year. We left because we wanted to leave. For him we would have stayed there. We didn’t spend anything.”
He then added: “Cristiano took us to training, fed us and had a cook for us. There was a swimming pool inside and outside the house, a jacuzzi, a tennis court…”
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Anderson went on to make 181 appearances over eight years at Old Trafford; winning four Premier League titles, a League Cup, Club World Cup and Champions League.
Despite his many successes, he doesn’t feel that he lived up to his full potential.
He continued: “If I had five per cent of Cristiano Ronaldo’s mentality, I would have been among the 20 best midfielders of that moment.
“Something very Brazilian… to think that we have already won everything and that everything is resolved. Not wanting something a little more…”
Anderson retired from football in 2019 aged 31.
After leaving Man Utd he spent three years at Internacional in 2015, before finishing his career with Turkish side Adana Demirspor.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
