Manchester United centre-back Matthijs de Ligt has revealed the three surprising players who have had the greatest influence on his career.

Since joining United from Bayern Munich in 2024, De Ligt has enjoyed a steady period at Old Trafford. Known for his reliability and composure in defence, he has earned the confidence of his managers, though he is yet to play under the club’s new head coach, Michael Carrick.

The Dutch defender has been sidelined since November due to a back injury. However, a recent update suggested that his recovery is progressing well, and he is targeting a return to action early in the 2026/27 season.

In an interview with the club’s media team, De Ligt named Cristiano Ronaldo, Christian Eriksen, and Harry Kane as the three players he has admired most throughout his career. The choice came as a surprise, considering all three are attacking players rather than defenders, which would typically be expected influences for someone in his position.

Speaking about Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, De Ligt said, “I think I was around seven or eight when United won the Champions League. At that time, he was obviously one of the biggest players in the world.”

He continued, “He had this style that everyone wanted to copy. So yes, he was probably one of my first idols.”

De Ligt and Ronaldo were teammates at Juventus, sharing the pitch together on 67 occasions.

Like De Ligt, Christian Eriksen is also a product of Ajax’s youth system. Although their paths did not cross in Amsterdam, destiny brought the two together at Manchester United.

“I was a midfielder when I was young, and he played exactly in my position. So at that time, he was really one of the players I looked up to,” De Ligt explained.

“When he came through, people were already saying he was one of the biggest talents they’d had in years, so naturally you start watching how he plays. You identify yourself with that player, and it’s great to see how far he has gone.”

De Ligt added, “It’s funny that I’ve actually played with him now. Also with Cristiano, of course. But yes, he was one of my biggest idols when I was younger.”

As for Harry Kane, De Ligt described the England captain as another key influence from their time together at Bayern Munich. Though they only shared a single season, the defender said it left a lasting impression.

“He made a big impression on me — the way he worked, how good he was, and how consistent he was at scoring goals. With Harry, every shot has a purpose,” De Ligt reflected.

“He knows exactly what he’s doing. He knows precisely where to place the ball — right, left, head — and that’s without even mentioning his incredible playmaking ability.”

De Ligt concluded by describing Kane as “a complete striker.”