Madridistas hold fond memories of Van der Vaart. The Dutch midfielder performed well during his two years at the Bernabeu but unfortunately never got his hand on a La Liga, Copa del Rey or Champions League trophy.
Following Ronaldo's debut season in Spain, Van der Vaart parted ways with Madrid. After being a key figure under Pellegrini, the left-footed wizard was surplus to requirements in Mourinho's Real. During his final season, Van der Vaart shared a dressing room with Ronaldo, a player who is often accused of arrogance.
"I've played with Critsiano, I know him and I know his personality. He's a really good guy. Even though some people think he's selfish and arrogant, they're wrong," stated Van der Vaart in an interview given to 'Goal.'
After a season to forget with Real Betis, the Dutchman returned to his homeland to reignite his career with Midtjylland, but it wasn't meant to be. In the 2017-18 season, he played just seven minutes and ended up training with the reserves. He flirted with the idea of a move to Bali United, but nothing materialised.
On top of discussing Ronaldo, Van der Vaart gave his thoughts on the World Cup final that the Netherlands lost to Spain: "I think they deserved it more because they played better football. That's football, you don't always get the chance to be world champions. We had a fantastic squad and great players."