Prem ace lines up as mascot alongside Ronaldo in throwback - now they're rivals

CRISTIANO RONALDO'S incredible longevity at the top of the game has thrown up another boggling storyline.

Ronaldo, 40, is still going strong at the top level and is now even playing against players that were previously mascots at his games.

4 Cristiano Ronaldo is still playing top level football at 40 years old Credit: AP

4 Liverpool ace Dominik Szoboszlai was a mascot when Ronaldo played in Portugal vs Hungary back in 2009

Some 16 years ago, an eight-year-old Dominik Szoboszlai came out onto the pitch as a mascot for a World Cup 2010 qualifier between Hungary and Portugal .

Szoboszlai walked out onto the Ferenc Puskas Stadium just a few feet away from his then idol, Ronaldo.

Tonight, Szoboszlai will go full circle as he leads Hungary out to face Portugal as captain - with Ronaldo likely lining up against him.

Ronaldo , who is also captain of his nation, was just 24 years old and fresh off the back of his blockbuster summer move to Real Madrid when Szoboszlai was a mascot that day in 2009.

Now he is a veteran superstar playing in Saudi Arabia, while Szoboszlai has gone from a fresh-faced kid to a Premier League champion.

Speaking on finally getting the chance to line up against his hero, Szoboszlai said: "I have played against [great] players but I’ve never played against him [Ronaldo].

"From my childhood he has been my idol so finally the time has come. I hope it will be a positive experience."

Ronaldo's prolonged period at the highest level has meant he has played with a whole host of unexpected players.

4 Dominik Szoboszlai will now play against Ronaldo as captain of Hungary Credit: Sportsfile

The Al-Nassr bagsman earned eight Portugal caps alongside now Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.

While he has also shared the pitch with the son of the ace he replaced in the Portuguese national side when breaking through in the national team.

Ronaldo has now played with Francisco Conceicao nine times for Portugal, doing so after being the breakthrough star that replaced his dad, Sergio Conceicao, back in 2003.

Sergio Conceicao, 50, made 56 appearances for Portugal, bringing his international career to an end in 2003 after a new right winger burst onto the scene and took his place.

That right winger was an 18-year-old Ronaldo who made his debut just two months before Conceicao Sr played his final game.

4 Ronaldo (back right) and Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim (second from right on front row) played together for Portugal eight times Credit: AFP