‘Hats off to Cristiano!’ Zidane shuts down Ronaldo criticism with huge message about former Real Madrid star

Cristiano Ronaldo's extraordinary career has taken him through some of the biggest clubs and stages in football, but few managers know better than Zinédine Zidane how much the Portuguese forward could change a team. Their time together at Real Madrid produced one of the most successful periods in the club's history, and as Ronaldo's international career enters its latest uncertain chapter, Zidane has made clear how highly he still regards his former player.Zidane says Ronaldo's career deserves to be celebratedZidane was asked whether he agreed with the suggestion that Ronaldo had suffered a poor ending to his playing career, particularly with the Portuguese forward now 41 and his future with the national team facing fresh uncertainty.The Frenchman rejected that idea immediately and instead pointed towards everything Ronaldo has achieved across a career that has stretched for more than two decades.“No, I think he should be congratulated on his great career. What he did is exceptional,” Zidane said.The comments came as Zidane prepared for France's Nations League meeting with Belgium, while Ronaldo's latest involvement with Portugal had again become a major talking point after his recent departure from the national team camp.Zidane, however, chose to focus on the much bigger picture and the achievements that made Ronaldo one of the defining players of his generation.“We really must pay tribute to his great career. I was lucky to have him with me. He helped me win a lot of titles,” Zidane said.“Hats off to Cristiano! I always have a great deal of respect for those I’ve spent time with.”Ronaldo played a central role in Zidane's Real Madrid successThe connection between the two men was forged during Zidane's spell in charge of Real Madrid between 2016 and 2018, when Ronaldo became one of the most important players in the Frenchman's plans.Across 114 appearances under Zidane, Ronaldo scored 112 goals and provided 27 assists, giving the manager an extraordinary level of production during a period when Real Madrid dominated European football.The trophy haul from those years included three Champions League titles, one La Liga title, two Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups and one Spanish Super Cup during Zidane's time overseeing the team.For Zidane, Ronaldo was not simply another elite player within a star-studded Real Madrid squad, because his goals and decisive performances repeatedly gave the team the margin required to win major trophies.That relationship became one of the defining features of Zidane's early managerial career, particularly as Real Madrid established themselves as the dominant force in Europe.Zidane now leads France as Ronaldo enters another uncertain chapterZidane has since moved into international management with France, having already recorded two away victories against Turkey and Belgium as well as a draw in his first home match in Paris against Italy.His career has consequently moved well beyond the Real Madrid period that brought him and Ronaldo together, but his appreciation for the Portuguese forward remains clear whenever their shared history comes up.Ronaldo's recent departure from Portugal has added another layer to the later stages of his career, following the controversy surrounding his role under head coach Jorge Jesus and his decision to leave the national team camp after Portugal's match against Norway.Zidane deliberately avoided dwelling on those details when asked about Ronaldo, instead returning to the achievements they shared at Real Madrid and the respect he continues to hold for the former Portugal captain.For a manager whose greatest early successes arrived while Ronaldo was leading the attack, Zidane's message was ultimately straightforward: whatever comes next for the Portuguese star, his career already contains more than enough achievements to merit recognition.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.