Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo lauded as an 'idol' as Lionel Messi snubbed

Cristiano Ronaldo is certainly not short of admirers in the football world, with the Manchester United star regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has enjoyed a glittering career which has seen him establish himself as one of the greatest players of his generation. The 37-year-old is regularly pitted against long-time rival Lionel Messi to be crowned the best of all time.

Regardless of where you stand on the debate, there’s no doubting the Portuguese ace’s credentials. Ronaldo’s goalscoring exploits have seen him take on legendary status, and have fired him to countless trophies during his career.

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Even as he approaches the final years of his career, the United star continues to set new standards. Just this year, he became the highest goalscorer of all time as he passed the 800 mark, while he also notched up the 60th hat-trick of his career this season.

All of his exploits have led to Ronaldo drawing plenty of admirers across the world, including the next generation of players. He can add fellow countryman Rafael Leao to that list.

The AC Milan star has already had the chance to play alongside Ronaldo with Portugal, having emerged as a star of the future over the past couple of years in Serie A. And the 22-year-old clearly holds the United ace in the highest regard.

Asked during an Instagram Q&A who his idols are, Leao said: “Ronaldo, Mbappé, Neymar, Ronaldinho. I must also say Ibrahimovic, if I don’t talk about him he’ll kill me!”

Leao will be aiming to emulate Ronaldo by winning his first Serie A title this season, with Milan potentially just one game away from securing their