Rangers defender Lee Hodson has named Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player he has come up against during his career to date.
The 25-year-old played against the former Manchester United forward when Northern Ireland took on Portugal in a 2014 World Cup qualification match in September 2013.
Ronaldo, who won his fourth Ballon d'Or award last December, netted a hat-trick in that game as Portugal won the Group F contest 4-2.
And Hodson, who is a Manchester United fan, explained that it was a great experience to play against a player he grew up watching, with the Northern Irishman naming Ronaldo the best individual he has played against.
“Cristiano Ronaldo”, he told Rangers TV, when asked to name the best player he has played against.
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“I played against him when we played Portugal in a World Cup qualifier a couple of years back.
“At the time he was the best player in the world, I think.
“Being a United fan and to play against someone I’ve grown up watching was a great experience for me.”
Hodson went on to reveal that although he was not star-struck while playing against Ronaldo, he did want to exchange his shirt with the 32-year-old, something which did not happen.
“Was I star-struck? No, actually I wasn’t”, he continued.
“It was just another game, another 11 players. But I did want to ask for his shirt during the game.
“But I ended up getting [Fabio] Coentrao’s, the left-back from Real Madrid.
“I would say that Ronaldo is the best player I’ve played against.”
Hodson, who joined Rangers from MK Dons last summer, has thus far made 12 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants.
