Manchester United academy graduate Danny Simpson has shared the story of how former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo once saved his date with 'Miss California'.
Simpson, 36, made six of his eight appearances for United alongside Ronaldo during the 2007/08 season before being loaned out several times and ending up leaving Old Trafford permanently to join Newcastle United in 2010. A move to Queens Park Rangers followed three years later, but that stay only lasted a single season as Leicester City came calling, which is where the defender was playing when this chance encounter took place.
The Foxes were touring the United States the summer after winning the Premier League title and participating in the International Champions Cup. And it was while in Los Angeles for a pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain, that Simpson ran into Ronaldo while on a date with Miss California.
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Speaking on the Under The Cosh podcast, the recently retired Simpson explains how Ronaldo's intervention saved what he described as a 'difficult' date up to that point.
"It wasn't going great (the date), and then I got a tap on my shoulder," said Salford-born Simpson. "I've looked up, and it's only Ronaldo! So he's gone 'Simmo!' and I've gone 'ah, Ronnie!'
"Of all the days that I could have picked, he's in the same restaurant, and he's come over, because we were in the first team together. I've sat back down, and she's gone 'how do you know Ronaldo?' And I just played it down like it was nothing 'ah, I used to play with him', and from that second, she completely changed."
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