Manchester United and Real Madrid great Cristiano Ronaldo has been hailed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard as "the GOAT".
Former rivals on the pitch in the Premier League, both men are working in Saudi Arabia now – Ronaldo as a player for Al-Nassr and Gerrard as manager of Al-Ettifaq.
And in an interview with the Saudi Pro League, Gerrard spoke about the Portuguese and also his own decision to move out to the Middle East.
"The arrival of ‘The GOAT’ as we call him, Cristiano, him arriving in January obviously [was] a huge signing,” Gerrard said. "He still had a lot of football to offer. So, from afar, for six months, I was looking in at Cristiano Ronaldo’s results, at the league, watching some games and watching some highlights.
"I think from that moment, the league around the world had become a very popular talking point for everyone. After Cristiano's arrival, even more big-name signings, talents and skill sets were joining the league.
"At the time it coincided with me being out of the game and looking for my next opportunity, so I was fascinated from afar looking in, and when my agent brought a couple of opportunities in the gulf area at the time, I was fascinated to explore them."
Gerrard has spells at Rangers and Aston Villa, but was without a club after leaving Villa Park last year.
"The Ettifaq proposal and opportunity was the most exciting for me because I’ve signed up to a club where the board are very passionate," he said.
"They understand where the club is at, they understand it’s something that’s going to need building, and it’s going to take time. That’s the reason why I was very interested to analyse this one, because in my job you need time.
"Especially when a club has finished seventh in the league and so many points behind the top four. That’s not an easy fix; it’s not something you fix in a week, a month, or six months.
And he added: "It's a project to build on the pitch, which is obviously the priority, but also a lot of things needed to change around it to give the first team the support it needs."
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Cristiano Ronaldo has edged out Lionel Messi to lead Forbes' football rich list for 2023.
According to reports, the Portuguese is planning to play on to the 2026 World Cup, when he will be 41 years old.
And the former Manchester United forward has hit back at his critics, saying he is far from done yet.
