What happened to the 5 youngsters Cristiano Ronaldo tipped for stardom in 2016
Back in 2016 Cristiano Ronaldo was asked to name five players he believed had the potential to follow in his footsteps.
He told BT Sport: "You see many players with potential, I will mention [Martin] Odegaard of Madrid for example. At 16 he's still young but you can see he's a very good player. [Eden] Hazard for example, the No.7 of Manchester [Memphis] Depay is a good player too. [Also Paul] Pogba and maybe Neymar."
Odegaard had the world at his feet at the time, having just signed for Real Madrid from Stromsgodset. But the transfer was bitter-sweet as there was little chance of the youngster breaking into the first team at Real Madrid at just 16, meaning his progression stalled.
Odegaard was sent on loan to Heerenveen in 2017 before he later temporarily joined Vitesse and then Real Sociedad. Back in Spain he found some form and showed signs that he may well reach his potential, prompting Arsenal to bring him in on loan in January 2021.
He completed a permanent move to the Gunners that summer, before being named captain a year later. He led them on a stunning title challenge last season and has become one of the best midfielders in the top-flight.
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Hazard meanwhile was at the top of his game at Chelsea before he completed a big-money move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2019. But injuries hampered the Belgian's progress, and he failed to find any real form in Spain.
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Eden Hazard retired after a miserable spell with Real Madrid (Getty Images)Hazard was released by Los Blancos in the summer, having scored just seven goals in four years at the Bernabeu. After failing to find a new club, the former Chelsea star announced his retirement in October at the age of just 32.
Much was also expected from Depay when he signed for Manchester United, but for one reason or another things just didn't work out. Wayne Rooney put it down to the fact the Dutchman was too young and a little misguided.
He told the Sunday Times back in 2018: "He [Depay] came on at Stoke away and messed up for their goal. So, Louis van Gaal made him play for the reserves the next day. I said, 'Look, it's a bit difficult [for you]. Just don't come in with all your fancy stuff.'
"And he turned up for the reserve game in his Rolls-Royce, wearing a leather jacket and a cowboy hat. And I just thought, 'What's the point?' But Memphis is a lovely lad and it's good to see things going well for him now."
Memphis Depay is now starring for Atletico Madrid (Getty Images)Depay left Manchester United for Lyon in 2017, where he came on leaps and bounds. The 26-year-old subsequently joined Barcelona, where he built his way back into the Netherlands set-up, before moving to Atletico Madrid in January.
Pogba was at Juventus when Ronaldo tipped him for greatness, and then just a few months later he moved to Manchester United in a club-record £89million deal. He won the World Cup with France in 2018, but United struggled to get the best out of him.
The Frenchman left last summer on a free transfer, returning to Juventus. But he was struck by an ACL injury in pre-season, which all but ruled him out of that season, and is now under investigation for doping.
Neymar was the final player Ronaldo tipped for greatness. The Brazilian had won the Champions League with Barcelona the season before Ronaldo's comments, but he has failed to match this feat in the following years.
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Neymar orchestrated a world-record £198million transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, but in hindsight, the move was not as successful as he hoped. PSG cleaned up in Ligue 1, but this isn't the same as winning the Premier League or La Liga title.
And the French club failed to win the European Cup before Neymar left for Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in the summer. He suffered an ACL injury while playing for Brazil earlier this season, with the superstar set for a lengthy recovery period.
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