Ancelotti: 'I've never seen a player like Cristiano Ronaldo' | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti, one of the most decorated managers in modern football and former coach of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, has spoken glowingly about the Portuguese star — and reflected on his own career choices and ambitions — in a recent interview with Swiss radio station RSI.

Speaking about Ronaldo, Ancelotti didn't hold back in his praise for the forward’s commitment and professionalism:

«Ronaldo is a great talent physically and technically, it's his nature... And he complemented these characteristics with unique seriousness and professionalism. I've never seen a player so attentive, prepared, concentrated, focused. He's a model for others, certainly, in terms of preparation.», he highlighted.

The Italian, often linked with the Squadra Azzurra, confirmed that he had received offers to manage the national team in the past — but explained why he turned them down.

«I said no to the Italian national team because I didn't feel like it... I really like being on the pitch daily to prepare training sessions, and the national team seemed like a part-time job that would make me lose a bit of my passion. Just because of that», he confessed, also speaking about a career dream he has yet to fulfill.

«My dream was to coach Liverpool, but then I found myself at Everton and I experienced their rivalry, and now I'm absolutely an Everton fan. I really liked the environment, because there is a spectacular passion for colours.You also notice the suffering that the fan has for Liverpool, which for many years and still today excels in the Premier League.", he recalled, remembering his return to Santiago Bernabéu.

«Actually, it was me who called them. The previous year, I had spoken with them to see if they had players available for us, and at Everton we had taken James Rodriguez. The following year, I knew they were looking for a coach and, when speaking with the director, I told him they needed to find a good coach», he recalled.