Paul Clement, the former Real Madrid assistant coach, has had the privilege of working alongside some of the most iconic figures in football. As the right-hand man to Carlo Ancelotti, Clement’s career has taken him to prestigious clubs: Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Despite encountering numerous global superstars, Clement revealed that none have left as lasting an impression as Cristiano Ronaldo.
Coaching with Ancelotti Across Europe
Paul Clement and Ancelotti formed a successful partnership. They contributed to multiple trophy wins across four major clubs. At Chelsea they celebrated a domestic double victory in 2010. Their time at PSG saw them clinch the Ligue 1 title in 2013. Their tenure at Real Madrid included the illustrious 2014 Champions League triumph. Bayern Munich also benefited from their collaboration with consistent domestic success.
Paul Clement’s Managerial Ventures
After his assistant roles, Clement ventured into management. He led clubs like Derby County, Swansea City and Reading. Despite his managerial stints, his most cherished memories seem to be from his days as Ancelotti’s assistant. There, he worked with elite talent.
Cristiano Ronaldo: The Standout Talent
In a conversation with Ally McCoist and Andy Townsend on talkSPORT Breakfast, Clement emphasized that among all the great players he worked with, Cristiano Ronaldo stood out the most. “I’ve worked with some great players across different clubs: Chelsea, PSG, Bayern and obviously Real Madrid. There’s a group of players. I think the list is even too long to mention. But at Chelsea, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba were outstanding players.”
He continued, “You go to PSG and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is there, David Beckham, Thiago Silva – great players. Bayern was full of incredible talent. Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Philipp Lahm and Manuel Neuer – they had a great team at that point. And then Madrid, well, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos – a lot of good players. But the standout one is Cristiano Ronaldo.”
