When you think of sporting icons, you look at Michael Jordan in the NBA, grand slam tennis champion Roger Federer or boxing's Muhammad Ali.

Those are all names who have created unmatched legacies in their field and all will go down as some of the greatest of all time.  

But who is football's biggest icon? 

Pele? Lionel Messi? Cristiano Ronaldo? Diego Maradona? There are certainly plenty to pick from.

Manchester United star Jesse Lingard was recently asked to name his icon and he picked a player that plenty of fans would agree with. 

"I have to say Cristiano Ronaldo," Lingard said when Sky Sports asked which footballer's achievements compare to NBA star Michael Jordan.

"Everything he has achieved in his career. He has been at plenty of clubs and won many trophies. I believe he is a real icon of football, the Michael Jordan of football." 

Lingard describes Ronaldo as the MJ of football

Fair play. It's hard to argue with him given everything CR7 has achieved in the game. 

Lingard also reminisced about seeing Ronaldo train at Man United when he was in the academy and even cheekily revealed the superstar has not given him trouble as an opponent.  

"When [Ronaldo] first came to Manchester United, I was 11 or 12. We did a skills DVD and it was him teaching us skills which was good," he continued. 

Lingard crossed paths with Ronaldo at Man Utd

"That was the first time I had seen him. He was young and skinny when he came [to the club].

"I have played against him a few times. Did he give me trouble? No, he wasn't too bad, to be fair!

"There was one game in pre-season where he came on and you could see the skills and the qualities that he brought."

Ronaldo played against Lingard in pre-season

Madness. Most defenders have nightmares about facing Ronaldo, but Lingard wasn't all that bothered it seems. 

Of course, the pair don't play against each other very often, given one is in England and the other has spent most of his career in Spain and Italy. 

But to suggest Ronaldo didn't give him trouble when the two sides met in pre-season? Sorry, Jesse, we're not having it!