Cristiano Ronaldo sent shockwaves around world football when he agreed to join Italian giants Juventus from long-standing Spanish club Real Madrid this summer.
The Portugal international captain had just finished his 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia before making the huge announcement that he was joining the Turin outfit.
Ronaldo had made plenty of threats regarding leaving Los Blancos in recent years and the majority of fans assumed this was another attempt to force through a new deal on Spanish soil.
But the 33-year-old now has a new side after joining the Old Lady for a mammoth €100 million, and one man who certainly knows how to flourish late in their own career has weighed in on the blockbuster transfer.
Italian midfield legend Andrea Pirlo was also in his 30s when he arrived in Turin from fellow Serie A club AC Milan back in 2011, and he went on to enjoy a great spell there.
The now retired midfielder has backed Ronaldo after his sensational switch to Juve, stating: “Cristiano Ronaldo can bring that something extra, which Juventus need.
“I’m happy that a great champion has joined Juve. Buying a player like him doesn’t win you the Champions League alone, but you get a lot closer to it.
“Ronaldo is a player who tilts balances, and he can help Juventus win the Champions League.
“He’s a top player, he’ll make the difference and we’ll see something beautiful.”
Pirlo joined Juventus on a free transfer after the Rossoneri refused to offer him an extension at the San Siro. It paid off though as he went on to win four Italian league crowns and reach the Champions League final.
While the Italian moved further back the pitch into a deeper midfield role towards the end of his career, Ronaldo has been being pushed further up the older he gets after starting life as a winger.
If Pirlo’s former move to Juventus is anything to go by, then Ronaldo’s time in Italy should produce much success.
