‘Cristiano Ronaldo does not know how to play football’ – Former Real Madrid striker claims

Former Italy international and Real Madrid forward Antonio Cassano has stirred controversy by claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his record-breaking achievements, “doesn’t know how to play football” and is inferior to other top strikers like Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema.

Cassano, who played for Real Madrid from 2006 to 2008, shared his opinion on Ronaldo during an appearance on the Viva El Futbol podcast. Though Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, with five Ballon d’Or awards and numerous records to his name, Cassano dismissed the Portuguese superstar’s playing style, saying he prioritizes only scoring goals.

“Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t know how to play football,” Cassano said. “He can score 3,000 goals; I don’t give a s–t. Players who played good football: Higuain, Lewandowski, Benzema, Aguero, Ibra, Suarez… They play team football, but Cristiano, what’s his objective? Goal, goal, goal, goal.”

Cassano also argued that while Ronaldo transitioned into a center-forward during his later years at Real Madrid, he lacked the team-play that defines great forwards like Lewandowski, Benzema, or Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “The ones I’ve mentioned have a common denominator… they knew how to play with their teammates; Cristiano, no,” Cassano stated.

Despite the criticism, Ronaldo’s career accomplishments, including becoming Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer and winning multiple Champions League titles, speak for themselves. However, Cassano’s comments reflect an ongoing debate among football fans and analysts about the balance between individual brilliance and team contribution.