Ruben Amorim is on the brink of becoming a household name as he prepares to take over at Manchester United. But fans may not recognise him in a recently resurfaced clip.
Despite being linked with Liverpool, Chelsea and West Ham last summer, it appears that Amorim will finally make his move to the Premier League with United. However, many may not know that Amorim once shared the pitch with former Red Devils star Cristiano Ronaldo while playing for Portugal.
The recently unearthed video shows Amorim waiting to be substituted onto the field, only to reveal that he’s replacing the ex-Real Madrid forward. The former midfielder looks quite different in the footage compared to his current appearance, sporting a lean physique and shaved head, a stark contrast to the tousled hair and beard combo that United fans will soon become familiar with in the Old Trafford dugout.
While he had a successful stint with Benfica, winning three Primeira Liga titles, his international career didn’t reach the same level. Despite progressing from the Portuguese U18 to U20 teams, he only made 14 appearances for the senior squad.
However, he did secure a spot in Portugal’s team for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. In an eerie case of foreshadowing, Amorim missed out on the initial squad selection but was designated as a reserve. Destiny then played its hand and he stepped in for former Manchester United winger Nani, who withdrew due to an injury, reports the Mirror. Though he didn’t leave a significant impression on the global stage, Amorim earned a spot in Portugal’s squad for the subsequent World Cup in Brazil.
Ronaldo, who has never teamed up with Amorim at the club level, is also said to have labelled him ‘the poet’, recognising Amorim’s articulate manner with media and players. The ex-Juventus forward has also given some inadvertent advice to United’s incoming boss.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, Ronaldo took issue with ex-manager Ten Hag’s statement that United would struggle to compete for the Premier League, and claimed any manager of the club should never play down expectations.
“The coach, they say they cannot compete to win the league and Champions League. [As] Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you’re not going to fight to win the league or Champions League,” Ronaldo said.
“You have to be, to mentally say, listen, maybe we don’t have that potential, but I cannot say that. We’re going to try. You have to try.”
Sporting has confirmed United’s interest in Amorim in a statement, along with the club’s plan to meet his £8.34million (€10million) release clause. Amorim, who claimed 12 trophies as a player and has secured six titles as a manager – five with Sporting and one with SC Braga – now appears poised for the most significant challenge of his career so far.
