Both Anderson and Nani joined United in 2007 and Ronaldo immediately took the pair under his wing, allowing them to stay at his house and driving them to training. 

They lived with Ronaldo for "almost a year", with Anderson admitting the Portuguese superstar would have been happy with them staying longer.

"As soon as I arrived, I went to Cristiano's house," Anderson said in an interview with Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte. "I thank him very much. He adopted me. 

We lived at Ronaldo's house for almost a year. We left because we wanted to leave.

"For him we could have stayed there. We didn't spend anything. The guy took us to training, fed us, had a cook for us. There was a swimming pool inside and outside the house, a jacuzzi, and a tennis court."