FRANK LAMPARD has recounted a recent chance encounter with Cristiano Ronaldo on holiday.
The former Chelsea star, 45, has been out of managerial work since leaving the Blues at the end of the 2022-23 season.
BBC SPORTFrank Lampard appeared as a pundit on Portugal’s tournament opener[/caption]
GettyThe veteran forward was in action as Portugal beat the Czech Republic 2-1[/caption]
GettyRonaldo, 39, has kept himself in pristine condition well into his 30s[/caption]
While taking time out of his coaching career, Lampard has appeared on the BBC as a pundit for Euro 2024.
Last night he appeared on coverage of Portugal‘s tournament opener against the Czech Republic alongside Gary Lineker, Cesc Fabregas and Alan Shearer.
While analysing the game, naturally Ronaldo‘s name popped up.
With the veteran forward, 39, still starting for his country despite his advancing years, Lampard lifted the lid on a recent meeting with him.
He revealed: “I actually bumped into him on holiday a few months ago.
“I was in the same hotel on the beach, I quickly put my T-shirt on and had a nice picture with him.
“And I noticed he was going to the gym twice a day with his personal trainer.
“It just shows you his dedication to what he does.”
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BBC and ITV’s Euro 2024 line up in full
Here’s how each channel will line-up:
BBC presenters:
Gary Lineker, Alex Scott, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman
ITV presenters:
Mark Pougatch and Laura Woods
BBC pundits:
Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Rio Ferdinand, Ellen White, Frank Lampard, Ashley Williams, Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart, Cesc Fabregas, Thomas Frank, David Moyes, Rachel Corsie and James McFadden
ITV pundits:
Ian Wright, Roy Keane, Gary Neville, Karen Carney, Graeme Souness, Eni Aluko, Ange Postecoglou, Danny Rohl and Christina Unkel
BBC commentators:
Guy Mowbray, Robyn Cowen, Vicki Sparks, Steve Wilson, Steve Bower and Jonathan Pearce
ITV commentators:
Sam Matterface, Clive Tyldesley, Seb Hutchinson, Pien Meulensteen and Joe Speight
BBC co-commentators:
Danny Murphy, Martin Keown, Jermaine Jenas and James McFadden
ITV co-commentators:
Lee Dixon, Ally McCoist and Andros Townsend
Lampard then grinned as he joked: “I may have been sipping a beer watching him and giving him a little ripple of applause as he walked back.”
Ronaldo’s side overcame a 1-0 second-half deficit to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in Leipzig.
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During talkSPORT’s half-time coverage, England icon Stuart Pearce made a bold claim about how Portugal’s team-mates seemed to be treating Ronaldo.
He said: “This might sound ridiculous, but [maybe] they don’t trust Ronaldo enough to keep supplying him with the ball, that type of thing.”
When asked by presenter Adrian Durham to explain his point, Pearce, 62, added: “There’s been times in the games where he’s shown to feet and they’ve not popped the ball into his feet.
“There was one with Bernardo Silva, it was one of these rogue passes [by Czech Republic] that got cut out.
“Bernardo Silva had it in the centre circle, Ronaldo peeled off in an inside-right position.
“I’m thinking, ‘If this was ten years ago, you slide it in front of him and you know full well he’s going to get there and score.’
“He [Silva] denied the pass, and I found that quite strange.”
Ronaldo was criticised by some fans for the way he celebrated Portugal’s stoppage time winner, when he appeared to rub it in the faces of two dejected Czech stars.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner will be back in action this Saturday, when his side take on Turkey in Dortmund, looking to book their progression to the round of 16 with a game to spare.