Messi but no CR7: Brazilian Ronaldo names the eight greatest players in history
The great Ronaldo has named his greatest footballers of all time – but found no room for his namesake Cristiano within that selection.
The Al Nassr forward is among the most decorated players in history with five Champions League medals to his name and league titles in Spain, Italy and England, in addition to a heap of goalscoring records and five Ballon d’Or wins.
There is no doubt he is in the conversation of the greatest players to grace the game. Even the most ardent Cristiano haters would agree with that.
Ronaldo even suggested that the Portuguese superstar is from a ‘different planet’, alongside Lionel Messi. However, the Brazil legend might have higher standards than most.
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The 47-year-old Ronaldo won two Ballon d’Ors himself with 352 goals across 518 games. He also won the World Cup in 2002, top scoring with eight goals and redeeming himself after the controversy surrounding him in the 1998 final.
Successive long-term injuries meant the Brazilian could’ve achieved even more, but Ronaldo still believes he has a place among the greats of the game.
Speaking to The Guardian in 2022, he named his selection including two more Brazilians.
“I think there is a very, very special group,” he said. “Where you have Diego (Maradona), (Lionel) Messi, (Johan) Cruyff, (Franz) Beckenbauer, Pele, (Marco) Van Basten, Ronaldinho.
“I would include myself. Let the fans say, let them debate it in the bars. But you can’t rank them, can’t compare generations.
“People call me Original Ronaldo but there were others – and they weren’t false. I’m not the only one and more will come along and be better than me, in everything.
“I did what I could, the best I could. I’m doing other things now, important things, and I want to keep improving myself. As a footballer I can’t do any more now.”
Some will debate the inclusion of Van Basten and Ronaldinho ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, but the original Ronaldo sounds more than aware that his opinion will do just that.