Cristiano Ronaldo once revealed who he believes to be the greatest player he has ever seen live, and his answer might surprise you.
Ronaldo, now 39, is often hailed as one of the greatest footballers of all time. His five Ballon d’Or awards reflect his illustrious career and relentless pursuit of excellence.
In his 1,035 club games, he has scored an incredible 778 goals and provided 241 assists, making him Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer with 450 goals in 438 games, averaging a goal every 84 minutes in the iconic white jersey. ..Continue Reading
Throughout his career, Ronaldo has played a crucial role in the success of most clubs he has represented.
The Portuguese star has won league titles in Italy with Juventus, in Spain with Real Madrid, and in England with Manchester United. He also led Portugal to victory in the European Championship in Paris in 2016.
Given his accomplishments, many consider Ronaldo the GOAT (greatest of all time). But who has impressed the 39-year-old most when he watched them play live?
Back in 2022, journalist and TV personality Piers Morgan revealed that Ronaldo had confided in him during a private conversation that Lionel Messi was the greatest player he had ever seen in person.
“I had a very interesting conversation with Cristiano, we had dinner after I first interviewed him three years ago, it was a really great conversation and I really like him as a person,” Morgan said on talkSPORT.
“He was incredibly respectful about Messi and I said to him, ‘Who’s the best player you’ve ever seen?’
“He said, ‘Messi, but you’re asking the wrong question, you’re not asking me who is the best player…’, because, of course, he has never seen himself play live.
“So, that made me laugh.
“But then he talked about the pair of them and the difference between them and a lot of the other greats, like R9 Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, George Best, Paul Gascoigne, he said the difference is the longevity he and Messi have had.
“Messi and Ronaldo have had 18 or 19 years at the very top of their game, and that’s testament to their extraordinary dedication, their remarkable physical fitness and their rivalry, which has without any question driven the other to ever greater heights.
“I think it’s been one of the great rivalries of any sport ever, so we’re very lucky to have them.”
Ronaldo, now playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, appears to have no intention of retiring anytime soon. This season, he has further enhanced his impressive goal tally with 13 goals in 15 league matches for the club.
