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Manchester United youngster Charlie McNeill has described the experience of making his debut alongside Cristiano Ronaldo as a dream come true.
McNeill made his senior United debut in a 1-0 Europa League defeat to Real Sociedad in front of a packed Old Trafford.
Speaking to The South Wales Argus, McNeill revealed that he was astounded that Erik ten Hag chose to bring him on with the Red Devils in search of an equalizer.
McNeill who is currently out on loan with League Two Side Newport County said, “I’ve always loved Ronaldo since he first played for United before going to Real Madrid.
“I just loved him and fortunately enough I got to make my debut and was playing up front with him. That was just surreal, a dream come true.”
“I thought I was getting close [to a debut] a couple of times and then the new manager [Erik ten Hag] came in and I’d been training really well.”
“He saw that and put me in the squad but I didn’t think that I would come on because we were getting beaten 1-0. He put me on and I was just buzzing to play in front of 75,000.”
McNeill is yet to add to his one cap for the 20-time English champions but he is hopeful that a successful loan spell with Newport can provide a solid platform for more first-team opportunities.
The 19-year-old expressed just how much he has relished the physical nature of playing in League Two.
As per the United man, he has learned a lot so far in the eleven games he has started and is now equipped with more knowledge of what it takes to play in a senior side.
“I wanted to come out on loan to get experience in men’s football and coming here and having played 11 games already so far it has been a massive learning curve.”
“It has been tough physically but I’ve really enjoyed that, going up against defenders, challenging for headers, the ugly side of the game that I really need to work on.”
McNeill recently scored his first senior goal and he is optimistic that this will open the floodgates for more to come.
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