Roy Keane paid the ultimate respect to one Manchester United legend after the Sky Sports pundit didn’t hesitate for one moment to answer Gary Neville’s question.
The Irishman is well known for his unwavering loyalty towards his ex-Manchester United teammates, with Roy Keane holding incredible respect for his peers.
Keane has spoken highly of the former teammates from his legendary playing career, including naming the best teammate he played alongside.
The 52-year-old Irish hardman had a remarkable playing career at Old Trafford, excelling in his role as United captain under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Along with his incredible leadership skills, Keane was a commanding box-to-box midfielder and was a phenomenal presence in the heart of the United midfield.
The United legend’s illustrious spell at Old Trafford came to a sudden end in 2005, with Sir Alex Ferguson axing him from the Premier League club in ruthless fashion.
Keane saw out the remainder of his club playing career at Celtic, but the former United captain made a long-lasting mark during his time at the Red Devils.
The ex-Nottingham Forest star is held in high regard by his former teammates, with one United legend naming Keane as his favourite player to play alongside at Old Trafford.
READ MORE: Man Utd legend Roy Keane claimed three iconic former players were ‘way better than’ him
Keane’s response to Neville’s question
During his time at Old Trafford, Roy Keane shared the pitch with a roster of talented Manchester United players that Sir Alex Ferguson had brought to the club.
Keane has made his feelings perfectly clear on the best player he played alongside at United, as well as the best finisher he had ever seen in his prolific playing career.
However, the Sky Sports pundit hasn’t been afraid to pull any punches when needed, including naming one of his former United teammates as ‘overrated.’
During an episode of The Overlap in 2021, Gary Neville asked Roy Keane a series of questions about his time on the pitch as a footballer and his life off it.
One of Neville’s questions focused on one of football’s hotly debated topics, specifically around Barcelona legend Lionel Messi and United legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Keane was at the tail end of his United career when Cristiano Ronaldo was snapped up from Sporting CP and brought to Old Trafford in 2003.
The ex-United midfielder has raved about Ronaldo’s impact on the pitch and he did not hesitate to show where his allegiance was in the Ronaldo vs Messi debate.
When asked by Neville to choose between Ronaldo and Messi, Keane immediately responded: “Ronaldo. Every day of the week.”
Keane on Ronaldo vs Messi debate
Keane has previously snubbed both Ronaldo and Messi when naming the best player of all time, with the ex-United captain in awe at one other legendary ex-footballer.
However, the former Republic of Ireland international has previously made his stance clear on the hotly debated topic around Ronaldo and Messi.
Keane was involved in punditry duties for ITV during the World Cup in 2018, with Ronaldo impressing in the early stages of the tournament with Portugal.
Ronaldo scored a stunning hat-trick against Spain in a thrilling 3-3 draw in Portugal’s opening match at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Keane said at the time that the 39-year-old Portuguese forward was “on a new level” to Messi and he would “have him above” the Barcelona legend in the debate.
“I think there has been a great debate about him [Ronaldo] and Messi, but over the last six months, I think he’s on a new level – Ronaldo’s out there on his own,” he said on ITV, as per the Belfast Telegraph.
“It’s not natural ability, as brilliant as he is, it’s sheer hard work. He’s got a lot of courage, he’s brave and the guy is a genius.
“I think his form over the last few months I’d have him above Messi.”