Mesut Ozil says working with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid showed him what is required to be the best in the world.
The Germany international moved to Santiago Bernabeu in 2010, 12 months after Ronaldo made a record-breaking switch to the Spanish capital from Manchester United.
The pair enjoyed three productive seasons together in Madrid, with Ozil a regular contributor of assists for his Portuguese colleague.
After leaving Madrid, the World Cup winner has become a star at Arsenal and says he is a better player for having seen what it takes to be consistent over a prolonged period of time.
Ozil told Arsenal Player on what he learned from Ronaldo: "His ambition, how hungry for success he is, as a player, you’re always quite similar.
"You want to be successful, you want to bring your best and what fascinated me about him was how professional he was. He’d be the first in the dressing room and the last to leave.
"He’s a grounded guy who is very ambitious, who always gives his best for himself and for the team. What I admired about him was how hungry for success he is.
"He’s not somebody who when he achieves something, thinks ‘OK I can stop now, or I can go easy’. It’s the opposite. He always wants to be more successful - he wants to defend titles and I admired that."
Ronaldo has already helped Madrid to the Liga title in 2016-17 and is now taking aim at back-to-back Champions League crowns, with Zinedine Zidane’s side taking on Juventus in Cardiff on Saturday.
