Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold on same page with Cristiano Ronaldo verdict

Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold both agree the first name they think of when it comes to the Champions League is former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 39-year-old, now playing at Al-Nassr, has won five Champions League titles during his career, winning four with Real Madrid and one with Manchester United. Between 2014 and 2018, Ronaldo produced a number of memorable performances in the Champions League knockout stages, building upon his legend.

The Portuguese international felt inevitable at times, with Ronaldo scoring double digits in the Champions League in seven of the nine seasons he played in the Spanish capital.

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Last month, the Champions League returned with a new format. Liverpool got their European campaign off to a winning start with a 3-1 win over AC Milan at San Siro, before beating Bologna at Anfield last week 2-0 in a comfortable win under the lights.

However, despite having not played in the competition since 2021 with Manchester United, Ronaldo still looms large as the footballer most associated with the Champions League. He was one hand to help with the new format draw back in August.

Recently, a number of Europe's elite footballers were all asked just who they thought of when it comes to the Champions League. And both Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold, who faced off against Real Madrid for Liverpool during the 2017/18 final in Kyiv which the Reds lost, were in agreement that Ronaldo is the name they associate with the competition.

On X, the Champions League's official account posted a video asking: "When I say 'the Champions League', who is the first player that comes to mind." "Cristiano Ronaldo," said Van Dijk, with Alexander-Arnold simply stating: "Ronaldo."

Liverpool.com says: "There's no doubt that Ronaldo's performances during his time at Real Madrid vaulted his stardom into a completely different stratosphere, especially in terms of achievements. Time after time when Real Madrid needed a goal, Ronaldo would step up when it mattered most."