In every soccer conversation, fans and pundits alike debate over the greatest teams in history and, inevitably, the best player to ever grace the sport. Former players also frequently weigh in on the topic, and this time, it was Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos who made his choice for the greatest of all time.
Roberto Carlos, who was a key figure in Real Madrid’s famed “Galácticos” era alongside superstars like Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Iker Casillas, Ronaldo Nazario, David Beckham and Raúl, shared his thoughts during an interview with Goal in 2020. The Brazilian defender was clear in his opinion: Ronaldo Nazario stands above all others.
“He was the best; there will never be another Ronaldo, the phenomenon. Not Neymar, Cristiano, or Messi—Ronaldo is unique,” Roberto Carlos declared.
He also reflected on how the game has evolved since the days when he and Ronaldo dominated with both the Brazilian national team and Real Madrid. “In our generation, it was harder to score goals; the game was more physical back then, and attackers were less protected. But Ronaldo could do it all,” he explained.
Roberto Carlos went on to shower praise on his former teammate and close friend, who joined Real Madrid in 2002. “I knew how incredible he was when he arrived, but many people in Madrid didn’t. He surprised a lot of people. I remember 80,000 fans being overjoyed and blown away by him,” he added.
Ronaldo Nazario picks his best players of all time
In a 2022 interview with The Guardian, Ronaldo reflected on the past few decades of soccer and boldly named his eight greatest players of all time. “I believe there’s a very special group where you have Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Pelé, Marco van Basten, Ronaldinho… I include myself,” said the iconic Brazilian forward, notably omitting Cristiano Ronaldo from his list.
Despite his personal opinion, Ronaldo acknowledged that this list isn’t definitive, encouraging fans to have their say. “Let the fans decide, let them debate it in the bars. But you can’t rank them, you can’t compare generations,” he concluded.