Obviously, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gerard Piqué are one of the footballers people never know were once teammates. The two superstars were teammates at Manchester United.
It’s hard to believe that because the Spanish centre-back was a friend of Lionel Messi at Barcelona. Surprisingly, he once played with Ronaldo.
Piqué’s case is more like Sergio Ramos. The Spaniard played with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, and he’s currently playing with Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking of the rivalry between Los Blancos and the Bluagranas. It’s actually unbelievable to see Ramos playing in the same team as Messi.
Regardless, football always brings people together, and they are now teammates at Paris Saint-Germain. They do celebrate goals together.
Many players started their careers together and turned into big rivals when they began to make waves in the world of football. Ronaldo and Piqué are examples.
Despite the fact that they both once played together at Manchester United. They always go hard on each other in El Clasico in La Liga.
There are still many footballers people never know were once teammates, because they turn into enemies in big clubs. For instance, David de Gea and Sergio Agüero.
The two Manchester players started together at Atletico Madrid in La Liga. However, they turned to big rivals when they arrived at Manchester, respectively.
Here are the footballers you never know were once teammates
1. Eden Hazard & Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Lille
Of course, the former Chelsea superstar started his professional football career at Lille in Ligue 1. Before his move to Chelsea in the Premier League.
Eden Hazard and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang once played together at Lille. It was when the Gabonese forward joined the French side on loan from Dijon.
The Belgian spent more than four years at Lille, while Aubameyang spent just one season there, from 2009 to 2010. Their combination somehow helped the team’s performance.
Pierre-Emerick scored 2 goals in 14 appearances in Ligue 1 as one of Hazard’s teammates. However, they turned to rivals in the Premier League.
Eden and Aubameyang were opponents when they joined the London clubs. However, the Gabonese moved to the English league before the Belgian.
2. David de Gea & Sergio Agüero – Atletico Madrid
The Spanish goalkeeper started his career at Atletico Madrid before his move to Manchester United in the Premier League in 2011, having already made 401 appearances.
Surprisingly, David de Gea and Sergio Agüero were once teammates at Atletico Madrid. They played together at least for almost 4 years.
The Spaniard started his career at the club. However, he met the Argentine striker in the senior team, and he was promoted to the first team squad in 2009.
Meanwhile, Agüero joined Atletico in 2006, and they both left the club, moved to Manchester in the same year (2011). And they became rivals.
David de Gea joined Manchester United in 2011, and Sergio Agüero also signed for Manchester City in the same year. They went from teammates to rivals.
3. Son Heung-min & Ruud van Nistelrooy – Hamburger SV
After the Dutch and Manchester United central-forward made many headlines in the Premier League and La Liga (Real Madrid).
He decided to join Hamburger SV in 2010, making 36 appearances and scoring 12 goals for the German side. Before he moved to Malaga in Spain.
Son Heung-min started his senior career at Hamburger SV, where he was able to play together with Ruud van Nistelrooy. They were teammates for just one season.
This is actually unbelievable because nobody knows that Son and Ruud are among those star footballers who once played together in the world of sport.
Obviously, the Korean forward learned many things from Ruud van Nistelrooy, considering his goal-scoring prowess at Tottenham.
4. Sergio Ramos & Dani Alves – Sevilla
The Brazilian right-back once played at Sevilla in La Liga before his move to Barcelona in 2008. It’s hard to believe that he once played with the Spaniard.
Dani Alves and Sergio Ramos were teammates at Sevilla. The Spanish centre-back started his professional football career at Sevilla.
The two defenders played together for more than one season at the club. However, they later turned enemies when they moved to Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively.
Alves and Ramos never faced each other as teammates during El Clasico. They played against each other with a high level of aggression.
They are another set of players who have played with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. And they both love the Ballon D’or winners.
5. Arturo Vidal & Toni Kroos – at Bayer Leverkusen
These footballers fans never know were once teammates. Before their respective moves to La Liga. Interestingly, they are both midfielders.
It’s unbelievable that Arturo Vidal once played at Bayer Leverkusen. Therefore, Toni Kroos became his teammate when he joined the club on loan in 2009.
Amazingly, the two great midfielders started many games together for the Bundesliga side. Because it’s a loan, they spent just one campaign together.
Just like Ramos and Alves, Vidal and Kroos turned into foes when they moved to La Liga. They both played for Bayern Munich, but were not teammates.
The German midfielder moved to Real Madrid immediately after his loan at Bayer Leverkusen ended. However, the Chilean joined Barcelona in 2015.
6. Anthony Martial & Bernardo Silva – Monaco
Despite the fact that the Portuguese midfielder is now one of the best players at Manchester City. He once struggled at Benfica.
Anthony Martial and Bernardo Silva played together at Monaco for at least two years. Meanwhile, they both later joined the Manchester clubs in the Premier League.
This is another set of players who turn from teammates to rivals in Europe’s top-5 leagues. They both made some appearances together for Monaco.
However, Silva is currently making waves with Manchester City, while Martial keeps struggling at Manchester United. Regardless, they both once played for the same club.
The Frenchman left Monaco in 2015, while the Portuguese left the Ligue 1 side in 2017. Which means Anthony moved to Manchester before Bernardo.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo & Gerard Piqué – Manchester United
Incredibly, the Spanish centre-back started his football career at Manchester United. Even though he later became one of the unforgettable legends for Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gerard Piqué once played together for the same Premier League side. Despite the fact that they later became enemies in La Liga.
The Spanish defender wasn’t really a regular starter at Manchester United when Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Old Trafford. He made just 12 appearances for the Red Devils.
After playing together for many seasons at Old Trafford. They both moved to Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively, turning into big rivals.
Even though Piqué isn’t really straight with Lionel Messi, he adores the Argentine more than Cristiano Ronaldo. Meanwhile, they once played together in England.
8. Mesut Özil & Ivan Rakitić – Schalke 04
Another footballers people never know were once teammates. They played together during their time together at Schalke 04.
Ivan Rakitić began to make waves in the world of football in the Bundesliga in 2007, which was before his transfer to Sevilla and Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Mesut Özil started his football career at Schalke 04, having been a German player. So, he began to play football for his country.
They actually didn’t meet each other in LA Liga, Ozil left Real Madrid for Arsenal before Rakitić’s move to Barcelona in 2014.
Regardless, they spent just one campaign together at Schalke 04. Both players are among the greatest midfielders in the world of football.
9. Yaya Touré & Rivaldo – Olympiacos
The Ivorian midfielder and the Brazilian forward once played together at Olympiacos in Greece. They played many games together for the club.
Yaya Touré must have learned many things from Rivaldo, because he was still a young player when he played alongside the Brazilian legend.
The Ivorian midfielder enjoyed most of his football career at Manchester City. He made 230 appearances for the Citizens, scoring 59 goals in all competitions.
Interestingly, Touré and Rivaldo both played for Barcelona, but they weren’t teammates at Camp Nou in La Liga. Nevertheless, they played together at Olympiacos.
The two footballers won many games for the Greek team. Yaya single-handedly commanded the midfield, while the Brazilian striker caused havoc up front during their time together.
10. Mohamed Salah & Micah Richards – Fiorentina
Apparently, the Egyptian wizard struggled during his early days in the football world. However, he’s now one of the players with the most goals for Liverpool.
Micah Richards started his career at Manchester City, and he participated in many fixtures with the Citizens. He joined Fiorentina on loan in 2014.
That was how Mohamed Salah became his teammate in Serie A. At least, they played for some campaigns, which is very unbelievable in the world of football.
Of course, the Englishman started playing football before the Egyptian wizard. Regardless, they were both teammates at Fiorentina.
And their combination worked miraculously for the Serie A side. Richards played as a right-back and Salah as a right winger. They won some games together for the club.
I didn’t know that son play with vanstaroy ummmm