Antony played alongside Ronaldo at Man Utd at the start of the 2022-2023 season. At that time, Ronaldo, nearly 38, still maintained a six-pack physique like many players much younger.
"Ronaldo once showed me his physique and asked if he looked like a 23-year-old player. I felt ashamed because you could see how well he took care of himself even when he was almost 40 years old," Antony, who was only 22 when he played for Man Utd, told Globo Esporte on 1/5.
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Antony (right) celebrates a goal with Ronaldo while playing for Man Utd at the start of the 2022-2023 season. *Photo: ESPN*
Antony also stated that Ronaldo is a great person and there is much to learn from him, dispelling perceptions of arrogance. The Brazilian winger added: "Once he joked that people think he is arrogant, but in real life he is very funny. Besides football, we also talked about life, books, and many other topics. That was good for helping us put football aside for a while."
Ronaldo had a successful first spell with Man Utd from 2003 to 2009, winning one Champions League and three Premier League titles before moving to Real and Juventus. In 2021, Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford. However, in late 2022, due to disagreements over his treatment, he publicly accused former coach Erik Ten Hag and the club of disrespect. Subsequently, both parties mutually agreed to terminate the contract six months early.
Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January 2023. He continues to perform at a high level, increasing his career goal tally to 970, 65 goals more than second-ranked Lionel Messi.
Antony played for Man Utd for two and a half seasons but did not meet expectations following his 105 million USD transfer from Ajax. The Brazilian player explained that off-field issues affected his performance. Nevertheless, he remains grateful to Man Utd and has no regrets about the move.
Antony joined Betis in January 2025 on a loan deal, then was permanently signed for 25 million USD. He has become a key player in Spain, scoring 22 goals and assisting 14 times in 67 matches. "Here, I found myself again. When I am happy, everything happens naturally," Antony said.
Thanh Quy (according to GE)
