Diogo Dalot reveals advice given by Cristiano Ronaldo

Diogo Dalot has just finished his seventh season at Manchester United with him making 36 appearances as United secured Champions League qualification for next season.

Dalot made the permanent move to Old Trafford in 2018 from FC Porto and did spend some time in the Red Devils academy in the 2018/19 season.

His time with Portugal’s first-team did not start until 2020, though, with him making his debut in that year. Since then, the defender has earned 33 caps, scoring two goals, and has remained a consistent part of the Portuguese national set-up.

Playing alongside Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Dalot took part in the 2022 World Cup where Portugal were knocked out at the quarter-final stage by Morocco.

The trio will get another chance at glory in the coming weeks, however, with each of them called up to the 2026 World Cup which is taking place in North America.

With the competition approaching, the defender has opened up about his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo and has revealed advice given to him by the Manchester United legend.

In an lengthy piece written by himself for The Player’s Tribune, Dalot described his emotions when finding out that he would be selected for the Portugal national team.

He explained the phone call that he received, stating; “Diogo, you’re gonna need to fly back to Hungary. We have an injury, and the coach wants you here for the Euros. The real Euros.”

“I’d never played for the senior team. I was so anxious. For the first time in my life, I was not ready” he added.

“Claudia and I rushed to the airport to do a COVID test. Two days later, I was there for our opening game, completely unfit.

“Hearing the anthem was amazing. Bruno [Fernandes] was there, and also João Félix, who was at my trial with Benfica way back. And then I realised, Oh wow, I’m going to meet Cristiano.

“Thank God, my idol turned out to be one of the best people I’ve ever met. We would talk for hours in the hotel, in the gym, at the dinner table.

“At that time, I liked Milan so much that I thought maybe we could make something work. They really wanted me, and I also had meetings with other clubs. One day I got a text from Cristiano.

“Kid, stay. I’m coming back to Manchester. He was saying that United is the best club in the world, that we would get back to the top if only we changed a few things. He was going to help me and we’d play a lot of games together.”

Later in his piece, Dalot states that “after I met Cristiano, my goal was not just to work as much as possible, but to stay in the best possible state mentally and physically.”

From these comments, it’s clear to see how Ronaldo positively impacted Dalot’s career.

His advice to stay at Manchester United, ultimately, is once that kept the Portuguese international at Old Trafford and is one that may live in his mind at the toughest of times whilst at the club.