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The Portuguese skipper transformed himself from a skinny teenager into a footballing powerhouse during his time at Manchester United.

And Ferguson says the Real Madrid ace's belief in himself helped him become a superstar.

(Image: GETTY)

Speaking to the Telegraph, the ex-Red Devils boss said: "You have to embrace it (a player's ego).

“Dealing with an ego doesn’t bother me. You used to see [Cristiano] Ronaldo standing in front of the mirror loving himself. But it was a nice vanity.

“The players used to throw jockstraps, boots and all sorts at him. It never bothered him one bit.

“They need to win, these guys: the ones that are cultivating their egos a little bit. You might see a player in a Ferrari and think – what’s he driving that for?

“But he has to live with that. He’s not going to be driving into town when he’s bottom of the league, or he’s been dropped. Some people can’t judge that. True players can. He was a serious professional.”