Ronaldo, Rooney & More – Man Utd legend picks his best five teammates at Old Trafford | OneFootball

Former Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea was asked to name his most impressive teammates during his time with the Reds, and Cristiano Ronaldo was an obvious pick.

The Spaniard spent 12 unforgettable years with the Red Devils. He made the move from Atletico Madrid as an up-and-coming custodian, and he certainly managed to fulfill his promise, as he cemented himself as one of the best shot-stoppers on the planet at the pinnacle of his career.

The management eventually opted against handing him a new contract at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, as they decided to bet on Andre Onana – a decision that wasn’t necessarily a wise one, especially if you ask Alberto Fontana.

Despite being one of the hottest free agents on the market, De Gea spent an entire year on the shelf, prompting many to believe his career was over. Nevertheless, the goalkeeper made his return last summer through the gates of Fiorentina, and has proven to be a brilliant coup on the part of the Tuscan club.

“I just wanted to take it easy for a while after playing at the highest levels for many years. Perhaps, it was the best period of my life,” explained De Gea in his interview with La Repubblica, as translated by Football Italia.

“I could finally enjoy time with my family and friends whom I had seen little in the past 15 years. I travelled between Madrid and Manchester, continuing to train my mind and body.”

David De Gea names Cristiano Ronaldo among his best five Man Utd teammates

(Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

De Gea was also asked to enlist his best teammates from his 12 years at Man Utd. Curiously, he chose five strikers.

“Van Persie, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney, Ibrahimovic and Lukaku. But when they didn’t score against me in training, they also got frustrated.”

Robin Van Persie’s exploits in the 2012/13 title-winning run certainly warranted a mention, while Wayne Rooney was still at the peak of his powers when De Gea first joined the club. Zlatan Ibrahimovic also made a great impact during the 2016/17 season despite his advanced playing age at the time, but many would consider Romelu Lukaku a curious choice due to his struggles at the club.

Finally, Ronaldo had his highs and lows during his second stint at the club, but was still good enough to leave an indelible impression on the goalkeeper.