Usually rival fans have no time for the other team's players in a match, but a few high-profile stars, including Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo, have had opposition supporters on their feet in praise.
Click through the gallery above to see 10 players who received standing ovations from opposition fans, as listed by Marca!
The most recent such incident occurred last season, when Lionel Messi impressed Real Betis fans. The Argentine scored a hat-trick in FC Barcelona's 4-1 win at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, and Betis fans showed their appreciation of his fine performance after he chipped his third goal past the home goalkeeper in the 85th minute.
One of the most memorable performances in the UEFA Champions League happened at Juventus' Allianz Stadium in April 2019, when Ronaldo stunned the home team with a superb brace. The then-Real Madrid superstar scored his side's opener within three minutes – his fastest-ever goal in the competition – but it was his bicycle-kick strike to make it 2-0 that had even the home crowd applauding him.
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The goal had the whole stadium on its feet, with Ronaldo later claiming that the reaction from the Bianconeri's fans played an important role in his decision to join the Serie A giants.
Another famous incident happened during an El Clasico in 2005, when Ronaldinho was praised by Real Madrid supporters at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Brazilian wizard almost singlehandedly tore Los Blancos apart in a 3-0 rout, scoring two goals in one of the most impressive performances in LaLiga history.
Brazil icon Ronaldo Nazario also features for his jaw-dropping display against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League in 2003 – you can see more eye-catching performances in the gallery above!
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Which was the most memorable performance from an opposition player you have watched live? Have your say in the comments section below.
