‘I didn’t understand what Roy Keane was shouting at me, so I just told him about winning the 2002 World Cup in Portuguese – he looked so confused!’ Kleberson on the language barrier that kept Keane and Fergie hairdryers at bay at Manchester United

One of the toughest things for any player to get to grips with, when coming to the Premier League, is the language. Almost everybody speaks English, even the foreign stars, and so it’s vital you learn quickly.

Yet Kleberson, who joined Manchester United from Athletico Paranaense in 2003, at the age of 23, actually found the language barrier helpful on a couple of occasions.

His initial lack of English prevented him from bearing the brunt of hairdryers from Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane.

'They were tough and that meant you had to be as well' Kleberson explains what it's like to work with Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane

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“I remember in one of my early games, Ferguson was screaming at me and my team-mates were looking at me,” the 46-year-old, who now speaks perfect English, tells FourFourTwo on behalf of BetVictor Online Casino.

“But I didn’t understand a word he was saying. My English was terrible. I went to ask Quinton Fortune, who spoke Portuguese, and he just smiled at me and said, ‘Don’t worry about it, mate, just play your game!’ He knew I was nervous and didn’t want to scare me.”

Another Old Trafford figure who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind was then-captain Roy Keane, who also let rip in Kleberson’s direction, only to end up even more confused than his team-mate.

“One time, when we were playing together in training, Keane shouted at me and I didn’t understand. So I just told him about winning the World Cup in 2002. I didn’t know what else to say. I was speaking Portuguese and he looked so confused!”

Kleberson is keen to point out that his skipper was a joy to play alongside.

“Keane was a great captain and a great guy,” says Kleberson. “Everything he did, he did for the team. If he was playing alongside you, you knew you could play your game because he would take care of everything.”

Despite making just 20 league appearances across two seasons, Kleberson looks back fondly on his time at Old Trafford, and his time working with both Ferguson and Keane.

“It was special at Manchester United, with both Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane, the captain,” he says.

“They were tough and that meant you had to be as well. The manager ruled the whole club and Keane bossed the dressing room. So there was always that authority figure to keep on top of standards.

“It was a new experience for me to have that. In Brazil it is more of a relaxed place. But at United, you had to be ready to fight and learn every day. I loved it.”