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Anthony Elanga has opened up about his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, revealing the important lessons he gained during their time together at Manchester United. The Swedish winger expressed his excitement about participating in the same World Cup as Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, saying it fills him with pride to share football’s greatest platform with two of the sport’s all-time icons.

Learning from Ronaldo

Ronaldo recently scored twice as Portugal defeated Uzbekistan 5-0 on Tuesday. Speaking to the Sweden Herald, Elanga said he was delighted to see his former Manchester United teammate performing at such a high level.

Elanga praised Ronaldo’s commitment and explained how much he learned from observing the Portuguese star up close. When asked what it meant to play in the same World Cup as Ronaldo, Elanga said: “I can learn a lot from them. Especially Ronaldo, who I played with at Manchester United. I learned a lot from him, on and off the pitch. It’s a great honour to have played with him. I just wish he would continue like this.” He went on to describe specific takeaways: “How he is after training and stuff. How he handles his recovery. Lots of things.”

Respecting the greats

Despite being only 24, Elanga holds deep respect for the longevity of players who have dominated football for nearly twenty years. Ronaldo is now 41, while Lionel Messi turned 39 on Wednesday.

Elanga acknowledged the extraordinary physical and mental discipline required to perform at that age, and expressed admiration for how Ronaldo continues to deliver for his national team.

When asked whether he sees himself playing until 41, Elanga smiled and replied: “We’ll see. I’m only 24 now. You never know. When I’m 33? You never know.”

He also chose not to favour one legend over the other, adding: “You have to enjoy it. I can’t choose Ronaldo or Messi.”

Stepping up for Sweden

Under manager Graham Potter, Elanga has played a versatile role for Sweden, recently scoring a stunning goal against the Netherlands that earned praise from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Responding to Ibrahimovic’s words, Elanga said: “It means a lot. I’ve had the opportunity to play with him in the national team. When he talks, you listen.”

Elanga stated that he is content to wait for his chances, trusting in his coach’s decisions. “I have to be ready, take my chance when I get it. I have a lot of confidence in Graham, he knows what he’s doing. Millions would like to be in my position, at a World Cup. We are 26 players, of course everyone wants to play. We trust Graham,” he said.

He also spoke about how his faith keeps him grounded and patient: “It gives me peace and patience. It helps me if I’m not allowed to play. Reading the Bible means a lot to me and it’s advice I can give others to do as well.”

What’s next?

Sweden now turn their attention to a key World Cup match against Japan in the early hours of Friday morning. Elanga will be hoping to earn a starting spot after making a strong impact as a substitute. Meanwhile, Ronaldo and Portugal are gearing up to face Colombia as they look to finish top of Group K and move forward into the knockout rounds.