Former Super Eagles defender, Ifeanyi Udeze said he deliberately skipped a game against Manchester United in order to avoid facing Cristiano Ronaldo during his days with West Bromwich Albion, Brila.net reports.

Udeze made this disclosure on Thursday while speaking on brila FM when he was asked to name any of the football legends he faced during his active days.

The former POAK Salonica player said the match would have been the only time he came up against Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham.

Explaining the reason he skipped the game crunch game at Old Trafford, Udeze said he had fever days before the game, but he could have featured if the United didn’t parade the Ronaldo and David Beckham.

“I had a chance to face Cristiano Ronaldo during a match between my team West Brom and Manchester United, but I dodge am I no lie because I no wan face Ronaldo. Not only, Ronaldo, David Beckham was also in their team and these two players were going to operate from the flanks, men I dodged the match.” He said.

“A few days before the match I had a fever, I was taken to the stadium alone in a car while the rest of the players used the bus because they didn’t want them to be infected by fever. I could have managed to play, but I decided to save the little strength left in me when I realized I would be facing Ronaldo.” He said.

Udeze joined West Brom on loan from Greek club, PAOK Salonica in 2003, the loan spell didn’t go well and he only played 10 games for the Baggies, before returning to Greece the following season.