Cristiano Ronaldo recently called himself the greatest footballer ever. His comment sparked debate among fans, players, and experts.
In an interview with his friend Edu Aguirre, Ronaldo was talking about himself.
“I’m talking about numbers. I think I’m the most complete player to have existed. In my opinion, I think it’s me,” Ronaldo said. (via Football 365) “I do everything well in football: with my head, free kicks, left foot. I’m fast, I’m strong. One thing is taste — if you like Messi, Pelé, Maradona, I understand that and I respect that — but saying Ronaldo isn’t complete … I’m the most complete. I haven’t seen anybody better than me, and I say it from the heart.”
Brazilian legend Cafu disagreed and named other players who, in his view, deserve the title more.
Cafu’s View: Ronaldo Was Great, But Not the Greatest
Cafu, a two-time World Cup winner, praised Ronaldo’s achievements but said history includes many great players. He named Pelé, Diego Maradona, Michel Platini, Franz Beckenbauer, and Garrincha as legends who shaped football.
“Cristiano is a phenomenon, but not the best player of all time,” Cafu said (via Money Control) If we talk about all time, we have to mention Maradona, Pele, Platini, Franz Beckenbauer, and Garrincha. We are talking about incredible players….Cristiano Ronaldo was the best for six or seven years, but in a discussion about the best in history, we must consider footballers who played better than him.”
He also pointed out that Ronaldo dominated football for six or seven years. However, Cafu believes true greatness spans generations, not just a single era.
Jamie Carragher’s comments “embarrassing”
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher is also not happy with Ronaldo’s self proclaimed status. Talking on Amazon Prime he accused Ronaldo of doing preplanned interviews.
“It’s embarrassing…,” Carragher said. “He’s one of the greats and he doesn’t have to do interviews every month to say it himself. All the interviews are pre-planned and you know the questions he will be asked. It’s ridiculous that he let his friends pressure him to say these things.”
Zico believes Ronaldo’s Success Comes from Hard Work
Brazilian football icon Zico said Ronaldo wasn’t born with the talent of other legends. Instead, he became great through hard work and discipline.
“No, he should really say that,” Zico said (via Sportskeeda)”People talk about him like he’s just a goalscorer and that’s not true man, Cristiano is a great reference for any footballer, because he wasn’t born with the talent of other players, he became the best thanks to his dedication and effort.”
Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards and scored over 900 goals. He remains one of football’s most successful players. However, critics argue that numbers alone don’t define the greatest player in history.
The debate over football’s best player will continue. Fans and experts have different opinions based on trophies, skill, and influence on the sport.