Despite becoming an NBA star in his own right, Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic has revealed that he was stunned when he met Cristiano Ronaldo as a teenager.

Prior to heading to Dallas, the Slovenian began his senior basketball career with Real Madrid, where he developed a strong attachment to the football club and its star player.

With Ronaldo swiftly becoming his favorite football player, Doncic had the opportunity to meet the now-Juventus forward when Real Madrid’s various sports teams gathered over the holidays.

However, the now-21-year-old admits he was star-struck and couldn’t achieve his ambition of asking to drive one of Ronaldo’s many automobiles.

“I always watched Real Madrid, always liked Real Madrid,” Doncic told B/R Football.

“He [Ronaldo] came here when I was 13. That was seven years ago. We’d do like Christmas dinner with everybody – soccer player, basketball players. I was sitting with him at the table.

“I was like 16 when I met him and I was so nervous. I couldn’t even talk so I didn’t ask anything.

“One thing I wanted to, you know, always was to drive one of his cars. He has so many cars. Amazing car collection. I love cars.”

Before focused completely on basketball, Doncic revealed that he played football for four or five years and was largely employed as a striker, with the Slovenian even comparing himself to Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

 

Oscar Arnaiz, a Leganes midfielder on loan from Real Madrid, reportedly revealed that Doncic was not frightened to try out for Madrid’s football squad while still stationed in Spain.

“Yeah, he used to try to play football with us,” Oscar was quoted by Bleacher Report.

“He wasn’t as good as he is at basketball, but he could hold his own. He could do the basics. He wasn’t too bad, really.

“He loved football, but what he preferred above all was to watch it. He loved the game.”

Prior to the suspension of La Liga due to the coronavirus pandemic, Real Madrid were sitting second in the table – two points shy of leaders and rivals Barcelona.