There's no doubt at this point that Danny Welbeck has had a frustrating career.

The 27-year-old has all the tools to be a top-level forward. He has searing pace, size and strength and fantastic movement.

Even though he's not a natural finisher by any means, the Manchester-born forward has managed 59 career goals and 15 for England.

Injuries have undoubtedly held Welbeck back and the English forward has had two separate knee injuries since joining Arsenal back in 2014.

However, when he broke into the Manchester United team in 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo was at the peak of his powers and had just won his first Ballon d'Or award after leading Manchester United to a Premier League and Champions League double.

It was always going to be difficult for Welbeck to fully break into a side that featured Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo all in their primes, but the experience Welbeck got alongside Ronaldo - one of the greatest players ever - was invaluable.

“When I first got put in the first-team dressing room, I think I was between Giggs and Ronaldo,” Welbeck told Arsenal Player. “You walk in and it’s like ‘woah, these are two top-class players’.

“Even back then, you could see the dedication and the motivation that Ronaldo had. I was looking at him like ‘wow, this is special, what I’m seeing on the training field’. You look at him now and it’s not a surprise to see the levels that he’s reached."

Ronaldo's work ethic is held in the same regard as Kobe Bryant's in the world of basketball - it has become legendary.

While Lionel Messi might be the most gifted footballer to ever grace the planet, no one can ever suggest that Ronaldo did not make the most of his abilities through sheer determination and hard work.

Ronaldo has stayed relatively injury-free throughout his career and, unfortunately, Welbeck cannot say the same.

However, without that early influence in his career, Welbeck might not have developed the strength and character to come back from those serious set-backs.

Welbeck was also included in the England squad on Thursday.