Rio Ferdinand asserted that Cristiano Ronaldo was not the most exceptional finisher he had the privilege of playing alongside during their shared tenure at Manchester United.

Ferdinand and Ronaldo played pivotal roles in Manchester United’s remarkable dominance of the Premier League in the late 2000s. Together, they secured the Premier League title three times, as well as the League Cup and the Champions League between 2007 and 2009, all while donning the iconic red jersey at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo achieved a notable feat by equalling the then-Premier League record for the highest number of goals in a single season, netting 31 times in the 2007/08 season. This remarkable performance helped propel Manchester United to league and Champions League victories and earned him his inaugural Ballon d’Or award.

In a recent interview with ManUtd.com, Ferdinand was prompted to name the best finisher he had ever played with at Manchester United. Surprisingly, he didn’t select the record-breaking Portuguese star. Nevertheless, Ferdinand’s choice is one that won’t come as a major shock to those familiar with the club’s history.

Ferdinand expressed his view, stating, “Ruud (van Nistelrooy) for me. I think all the other strikers (he’s played with) would agree with that, as well. Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer) is up there, he was a thinking finisher. His finishes were always calm and he was great at instinctive things but I have to go with Ruud. He was clinical and the most ruthless finisher I’ve played with.”

Van Nistelrooy is widely recognized as one of the Premier League’s greatest-ever finishers, having notched 150 goals in just 219 appearances for Manchester United. His arrival at Old Trafford took place in 2001, a year after a prospective transfer was halted due to concerns about his knee. Regrettably, he sustained a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury during training the following day, sidelining him for a year.

Despite his incredible goal-scoring prowess, Van Nistelrooy’s time at Manchester United concluded on a contentious note in 2006 when he made a controversial move to Real Madrid after a public disagreement with Sir Alex Ferguson. His dissatisfaction stemmed from not being used as a substitute in the 2006 League Cup final, with Louis Saha getting the nod instead. Saha subsequently scored as Manchester United defeated Wigan Athletic 4-0.

Although Van Nistelrooy did return to the lineup, he was conspicuously absent from United’s final game of the 2005/06 season against Charlton Athletic. Shortly thereafter, he completed a £10.2 million transfer to Real Madrid, just two weeks after turning 30.

At the time of his departure, Van Nistelrooy ranked as the club’s 11th all-time leading goalscorer, just five goals behind Paul Scholes. Interestingly, he surpassed Ronaldo, who is currently tied for 13th place on the list alongside David Heard.

During his tenure at United, Ferdinand and Van Nistelrooy secured numerous titles, including the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup. Ferdinand’s own arrival at the club from Leeds United coincided with Van Nistelrooy’s second season with Manchester United.