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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Jake Polden

Gary Neville explains why David Beckham was better to play with than Cristiano Ronaldo

David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of the best players to grace the game, never mind the pitch for Manchester United.

And former Red Devils captain Gary Neville was lucky enough to play alongside both superstars during his 19-year career at Old Trafford - Beckham from 1992 to 2003 and Ronaldo from 2003 to 2009 - winning countless trophies with the duo over two decades.

Neville played right-back for Man United and struck up a sensational partnership with Beckham both on and off the pitch, which enabled the pair to communicate telepathically on the football pitch to devastating effect.

The defender had to recalibrate when Beckham left United for Real Madrid in 2003, with a young and raw Ronaldo arriving at Old Trafford to take the number seven shirt and fill the Englishman's boots.

Neville and Ronaldo failed to strike up a relationship similar to the one the right-back had with Beckham, but the Portuguese was a different player and seemingly got on fine without the support of his teammate.

When asked who was the better footballer to play alongside, Neville previously told Sky Sports: "Well I never saw Ronaldo, Beckham was better to play with because he actually played with you.

Join the debate! Who was the better player for Man Utd, David Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo? Comment here

Gary Neville won countless trophies with Cristiano Ronaldo (Daily Record)

"Ronaldo, that was one of the things about him, he was never in front of you. the odd time he was you could make quite a lot of dummy runs around the back of him. He was a great individual who could play all across the front line.

"I think obviously the partnership with Beckham was something that was special. But Ronaldo at two or three years at Old Trafford was absolutely incredible."

Ronaldo eventually followed in Beckham's footsteps leaving Man United for Real Madrid in 2009. Neville stayed on at Old Trafford for a further two years before he eventually hung up his boots and entered the world of football punditry with Sky Sports.

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