Cristiano Ronaldo: “I Am the Best Player in History, No Debate”
As Cristiano Ronaldo approaches his 40th birthday, he has given one of his most outspoken interviews yet—declaring himself the best player in history.
The Portuguese star, who has scored nearly 1,000 goals in his incredible career, won five Champions League titles, Euro 2016, seven league trophies, and five Ballon d’Or awards, spoke in a 50-minute interview with Spanish show El Chiringuito de Jugones. In the interview, he made it clear that no player, past or present, comes close to matching his achievements.
“I Am the Most Complete Player Ever”
When asked about the best footballer in history, Ronaldo didn’t hesitate:
“If I finish with 920 or 925 goals, it doesn’t matter. I am the best player in history. Full stop. If I reach 1,000 goals, great. If not, that’s fine too. Numbers don’t lie. I am the most complete player ever. To say Cristiano isn’t complete is a lie. You may prefer Pele, Messi, or Maradona, and I respect that. But I believe I am the best.”
Ronaldo explained why he sees himself as superior to his rivals:
“I’m fast, I’m strong, I score with my head, my left foot, my right foot. No one has ever been more complete than me.”
Criticism of Former Managers
The Al Nassr forward also took aim at some of the coaches he has worked with, saying:
“I had some really bad coaches. Some of them don’t have a clue about football at all.”
However, he did not name any specific managers.
Rivalry with Messi and Almost Joining Barcelona
Ronaldo also spoke about his long rivalry with Lionel Messi. While he admitted they had a healthy competition, he couldn’t resist taking a dig at the Argentine’s move to Major League Soccer (MLS).
“The Saudi Pro League is stronger than MLS,” he said.
Interestingly, Ronaldo also revealed that he could have joined Messi at Barcelona earlier in his career.
“Before Manchester United, Barcelona wanted me. I was at Sporting Lisbon, and they tried to sign me. But then United came in, and that’s where I went.”
Despite this, Ronaldo admitted he enjoyed playing against Barcelona during his time at Real Madrid:
“I will always have Madrid in my heart. It was where I was happiest. But I loved playing at Camp Nou. They booed me, insulted me, and I loved it.”
What’s Next for Ronaldo?
At 39, Ronaldo remains a key player for Al Nassr and is still chasing new records. With his confidence as strong as ever, he is determined to prove he is, indeed, the greatest of all time.
