Germany and Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng has singled out Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima and Marcel Desailly as the players that he looked up to and modeled his game after growing up.
Now 32, Jerome has not always been a defender but rather started out a striker during his days in the academy and thus admired Ronaldo who is considered one of the best strikers to ever play the game.
“For me it was Ronaldo the Brazilian striker you know when I was younger I played at forward till I was 14 so it was first him,” he stated.
He went on to reveal that with the change in his position as an up and coming footballer his admiration for French Ghanaian legend Marcel Desailly grew with time.
“When I got to play in defense it was Marcel Desailly you know because of the background he was half Ghana and played for France and then at France 98 he was the guy I looked up to he was a great player.
Boateng is currently in his 10th season with German champions Bayern Munich and has proven over that time span to be one of the most versatile defenders of his generation.