During his first Manchester United stint, Cristiano Ronaldo was untouchable. But the star’s standards were so high that it left many players under his radar. Concerning this, former club player Michael Owen mentions one star of very high caliber who was left in the shadow of the Portuguese captain. But the former England player also explains why he had to play the second fiddle.

Manchester United, during the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, was abundant in resources. The manager would ensure that he had the players, the needed discipline, and the standards to win. However, Owen talks about this talented player who missed being on par with Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s mentality overshadowed his highly talented teammate

Cristiano Ronaldo’s mentality gave him the edge over other players. According to Owen, one star who fell short of reaching his best was the Al Nassr captain’s compatriot, Nani. According to the DailyStar, Owen said, “You talk to players, and he (Nani) came hot on the heels of Cristiano Ronaldo, possibly felt a little bit in his shadow. But the ability of that kid!”

Nani’s initial years at Manchester United were building gradually. The player scored only ten goals in his first two seasons but provided an impressive 17 assists until Ronaldo was at the club. However, the star stepped up in the subsequent years with many more goals and assists after Ronaldo left. The player left United as an icon with 41 goals and 71 assists, winning four Premier League titles. Yet, Owen feels he could have done better.

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Moreover, Nani lacked long-term persistence, felt Owen, stating, “He would go and get man of the match three or four weeks on the spin, and then he’d have a little knock, or something would go against him and his confidence could be shot and you wouldn’t see him for a couple of months type of thing.” Ronaldo, on the other hand, was both mentally and physically strong enough to keep going.

Cristiano Ronaldo still makes waves in soccer as Nani reaches Turkey

Nani played for multiple clubs after leaving Manchester United. Recently, after a bit of a struggle to find a club amid last season’s performance, Nani moved to Adana Demirspor. Ronaldo, on the other hand, finished 2023 as the highest goal scorer with 54 goals.

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After going goalless last season, Nani played 14 games this season and scored just two goals with two assists. However, at the latter stage of his career, the player would like to finish his spell with some significant contribution as his team is placed 6th in the Turkish Super Lig.

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