There is no footballer like Christiano Ronaldo. That’s the summary of what these football legends had to say. Many of them taught they were the greatest in their own time but have seen the true greatest of all time (GOAT ?) Christiano Ronaldo.
So many football fans had declared that they would quite watching football if Ronaldo retires. Hmmn! That’s huge.
Before we get back to the legends. Let’s talk a bit of history
Cristiano Ronaldo has set the bar at an untouchable level for the past two decades. The footballer began his career at Sporting, then transferred to Manchester United, Real Madrid, and finally Juventus in Italy. He is now back at Old Trafford. But it’s the manner Ronaldo has smashed records in practically every club for which he’s played that stands out.
While with Manchester United, he became the first player to win both the Player of the Year and the Young Player of the Year awards in the same season. He became the fastest player in La Liga history to score 50, 100, and even 250 goals while with Los Galacticos. During his second season with Juventus, he set a new Bianconeri record with 37 goals.
Now, the clinical maestro is back at Manchester United, where he recently scored his 800th goal for club and country. Cristiano Ronaldo has had an epic rivalry with Lionel Messi over the last decade or so, despite being hailed by some as the best player in football history. Even though Messi has seven Ballon d’Or honors, Ronaldo has five, which is only surpassed by the Argentine wizard.
Legends have struggled to compare the two world-class stars. While some have picked Messi as their greatest ever, here are five who have picked Cristiano Ronaldo:
5 legends who believes that Christiano Ronaldo is the Greatest of all time (GOAT) ?
#5 Carlo Ancelotti | managed Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo has always scored goals, but Carlo Ancelotti is highly credited for pushing the stakes even higher for the maestro. The Italian manager placed Ronaldo at center-forward, which led to an astonishing 48 La Liga goals for the star in 2014-15.
“I think Cristiano Ronaldo should always WIN the Ballon d’Or. He is the best I’ve managed and seen.”
– Ancelotti on Twitter
“I’ve seen Ronaldo play a lot of times, of course, but when you’re up close every day, his technical skills are unbelievable. He’s the best I’ve ever seen. He’s scored in every game in this period — 25 goals in 18 games — and he can score more.”
#4 Harry Redknapp | legendary English manager
Although Harry Redknapp never got the opportunity to manage Cristiano Ronaldo, the famous manager watched the star’s rise to greatness at Manchester United.
When asked who he would pick over Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Redknapp wasted no time in his praise for the ‘incredible’ Portuguese legend. He said:
“I’m Ronaldo over Messi. I love both of them, but I’m Ronaldo. There’s him, (Diego) Maradona, Pele; George Best was a genius. I’m a big fan of George Best, but you look at Ronaldo, he’s done it on the world stage; he’s won everything; he’s just incredible.”
#3 Iker Casillas | Real Madrid legend, former Cristiano Ronaldo teammate
Legendary Los Blancos goalkeeper Iker Casillas has also picked Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest player in the game’s history. Casillas is arguably one of the best goalkeepers himself to have graced the game. His stint as Madrid’s number one saw the team win every major competition.
“I’d choose Cristiano over Messi because he’s a player who gives us so much every season, and he’s a player I spend time with every day. I know him, know who he is, know how he trains, know what he wants and where he wants to get to.”
#2 Zinedine Zidane | France and Real Madrid legend
Zinedine Zidane amassed titles and trophies with the Madridistas, both as player and later as manager. Although the former midfield maestro never got the chance to play alongside Ronaldo, he managed the Portuguese star in the last decade.
“He is going to win more Ballon d’Ors,” Zidane said of Ronaldo. “What he is doing is from another planet. If he continues, he could end up winning more than Messi.”
#1 Roberto Carlos | Brasil and Real Madrid legend
Carlos, a three time Champions League winner with Real Madrid himself. It’s is common knowledge that Carlos never had the opportunity to play alongside CR7. But here is what he said concerning Ronaldo vs Messi debate.
“These days, when you talk about football, you talk about Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo.
“Cristiano has worked to improve. When you talk about the Ballon d’Or or any other prize, it’s not just any person who votes, it’s people who know football, who follow the stats of the players and pick the best in the world
I also agree with that christiano Ronaldo is the greatest of all
Indeed he is the GOAT and a true legend