Former Portugal manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has said that Cristiano Ronaldo was not the best player he has ever coached, Soccernet.football reports.
Scolari, now 75, has had a long and successful managerial career, coaching 22 different teams and winning 31 trophies since 1982.
He has managed top teams like Brazil, Portugal, Chelsea, and Palmeiras, and has worked with star players such as Ronaldo Nazario, Kaka, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, and John Terry.
Despite coaching Ronaldo for Portugal from 2004 to 2008, Scolari does not rank him as his best player.
“When I coached him in the national team, it was clear that he had a lot of quality. We were very successful in our project and he was an important player in that,” Scolari told Arabic outlet winwin via A Bola.
However, he added, “I can’t say that Cristiano is the best player I’ve ever coached because I worked with many special players who still play today. Of course, Cristiano belongs to this elite class; he was another of the excellent players I coached.”
Scolari did not reveal who he considers the best player he has coached, even though he has not managed Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, or Pele.
He did praise Ronaldo’s unique approach to preparation.
Scolari continued: “Cristiano was different in the way he prepared, unlike many players who don’t take advantage of every day to improve. He prepares well at any time and in any circumstances in a way that I have never seen another footballer do.”
Ronaldo set a new record as the first player to feature in six European Championships after helping Portugal to a thrilling come-from-behind 2-1 win over Czech Republic on Tuesday night.