'The first time we came up against Ronaldo, we were more worried about Quaresma'

Crouch is 37 now, but back in 2003 the striker was playing for the England Under 21 side. In March, the U21s were due to play Portugal's youth side away from home, and there was one player that they were not looking forward to facing...

No, not Cristiano Ronaldo, that player was Ricardo Quaresma, the young winger. As Crouch explains in his column, nobody had heard of Ronaldo at this point, when he was just 18 years old, whereas Quaresma was on fire. 

However, Crouch states that once the game started, he knew he was witnessing a special talent in Ronaldo. "[Quaresma] was magnificent, and kept hitting these 50-yard balls across the field," Crouch said in the 'Daily Mail'. "But Ronaldo was ridiculous. He was so good."

"He would control those sweeping passes from Quaresma from the opposite flank — with his back! — before setting off towards goal at unbelievable speed."

Crouch explains that ever since that game he knew that Ronaldo, who moved to Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in August of the same year, was a big talent. "When he arrived in the Premier League later that year," the Stoke man said. "I knew from that night what to expect from Ronaldo, with all the tricks and flicks."

"But I will be honest, I never anticipated that he would become arguably the greatest centre forward we have ever seen and one of the two best players to ever live."

Crouch puts Ronaldo's success down to his 'ruthlessness'. "The numbers and his ruthlessness set him apart," he stated. "Every week, every big game, you know he is going to produce and the goals keep coming. Ronaldo is absolutely single-minded and I saw first-hand how he will let nothing get in his way of winning."

"During the 2006 World Cup quarter-final in Gelsenkirchen, we couldn’t believe the brutal way he got Wayne Rooney sent off. It did not matter one little bit that they played together for Manchester United, Ronaldo (below) was intent on getting Wayne a red card but that was glimpse into his world."

"He will not entertain the idea of losing and I am convinced that what Lionel Messi does for Barcelona drives on Ronaldo. How many times have you seen Messi score a hat-trick one night and then Ronaldo do the same 24 hours later? It can’t be a coincidence."