Ashley Cole, a famous defender who played for England, recently got a special honor – he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame! This is a big deal for footballers.
At the ceremony, Cole talked about some of the toughest players he faced during his career. He said that the amazing Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo was the absolute hardest to play against.
Why was Ronaldo so tough? According to Cole, it was because Ronaldo was constantly improving. He wasn’t just a naturally gifted player, he was also a hard worker who always wanted to be the best. Cole said Ronaldo “had everything” – speed, dribbling skills, jumping power, and the ability to shoot with both feet. No wonder Cole said Ronaldo “always gave me nightmares” on the field!
Despite the difficulty, Cole also mentioned the respect between them. They had many intense matches where they pushed each other to be better. Cole even remembers a specific moment from Ronaldo’s first season where he got completely outmaneuvered by him! That’s the kind of impact Ronaldo had on the pitch.