Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has stated that his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson was a footballing father to him.
Ferguson is widely credited for turning Ronaldo into the football superstar he is today and the two clearly still enjoy a strong relationship.
Now Ronaldo has gone on to state that apart from being a great mentor, Sir Alex acted as a father figure for him.
Speaking on the BBC special 'Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success', Ronaldo said: "He invites everyone to come for lunch, come for tea... an English cup of tea! It was a family with him.
"When my dad was sick in London and was in hospital – very bad, in a coma – I had a conversation with [Ferguson]. I said, 'Boss, I don't feel good.' We are in a key moment in the league and the Champions League, but I say, 'Boss, I don't feel good. I want to see my Dad.'
"[He said] 'Cristiano, you want to go one day, two days, one week, you can go. I'm going to miss you here because you know you are important. But your Dad [comes] first. When he told me that, I thought, 'This guy's unbelievable'. He was a football father for me."