“He Invented His Own Position”: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Ex Juventus Teammate Opens Up About Al Nassr Man

“He Invented His Own Position”: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Ex Juventus Teammate Opens Up About Al Nassr Man

Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
March 19, 2024 at 6:58 AM
In this article:
Cristiano Ronaldo logo
C. Ronaldo
Al Nassr FC logoFPortugal logo
Stephy Mavididi logo
S. Mavididi
Leicester City logoFEngland logo
Juventus logo
Juventus
Italy
40
Al Nassr FC logo
Al Nassr
Saudi Arabia
33
Leicester City logo
Leicester City
England
27
Italian Serie A logo
ITA Serie A
Italy
  • Cristiano Ronaldo earned rave reviews from Stephy Mavididi
  • The Leicester City superstar played with Ronaldo at Juventus
  • Mavididi extolled CR7, describing his time with him as 'crazy'

Cristiano Ronaldo 'invented' his own position in football, according to his former teammate at Juventus, Stephy Mavididi.

Mavididi, who has become a household name in the English Championship with Leicester City, once shared the same dressing room with Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Stephy Mavididi, Juventus, Leicester City, invention, position, Al-Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Stephy Mavididi celebrate winning the Scudetto with Juventus. Photo by Tullio Puglia - Juventus.
Source: Getty Images

Despite the pair not featuring in a competitive match together during their time in Turin, the 25-year-old has fond memories of Cristiano.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is touted as one of the greatest footballers to have ever graced the sport, and Stephy holds similar sentiments as he recalled his time with CR7 in a recent interview.

What Mavididi said about Ronaldo

"Cristiano invented his own position, he played wherever he wanted to play," said as quoted by Sportskeeda.

Describing his moment with the Portuguese phenom as 'crazy', the Englishman praised Ronaldo's winning mindset, which remained steadfast regardless of the game's level of competitiveness.

"It was crazy having him as a teammate. When he's on your team in training, you're going to win- whether it's a small-sided game or crossing and finishing."
"But when you play against him it's a nightmare because he's just so good in every aspect of the game," he added.

What happened to the pair after leaving Juventus?

Ronaldo enjoyed a three-year stint with the Bianconeri, tallying an impressive 101 goals and 24 assists in 134 matches across various competitions.

During his time, he clinched two Serie A titles, two Supercoppa Italiana trophies, and a Coppa Italia, with the UEFA Champions League being the elusive prize.

After a brief return to Manchester United, the 39-year-old embarked on a new journey with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, where he presently leads the scoring charts with 23 goals in 22 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

On the other hand, Mavididi's tenure at Juventus spanned two seasons, from 2018 to 2020, before he moved to Montpellier.

There, he etched his name in Ligue 1 history by surpassing Chris Waddle's record for the most appearances by an English player, totalling 115 matches.

Following his transition to Leicester in 2023, Mavididi has played a pivotal role in the Foxes' quest for a swift return to the Premier League.

Kylian Mbappe honours Ronaldo with celebration

In a Ronaldo-related publication, Sports Brief reported that following his ninth career hat-trick, Kylian Mbappe showcased a celebration that paid homage to Ronaldo's iconic pose.

Adopting a stance with legs apart and hands confidently placed on his waist, Mbappe replicated Ronaldo's signature move, infusing his own flair and style into the gesture.

Authors
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe photo
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe is a Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and La Liga editor with five-year experience. He previously worked with Sports Corna and 360SportsGH.
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