The greatest debate in the world of sports — and especially in soccer — revolves around who should be considered the best player of all time. In soccer, that discussion almost always comes down to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. While Ronaldo himself recently reaffirmed his belief that he is the greatest ever, Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario has made it clear he doesn’t quite agree.
Cristiano Ronaldo once again stirred global debate after declaring that he considers himself the greatest player in history, even ahead of Lionel Messi. The former Real Madrid star continues to find the net regularly for Al Nassr, but Ronaldo Nazario responded to those remarks and offered a more nuanced take, giving credit to the Portuguese forward but reserving greater praise for the Inter Miami and Argentina captain.
Nazario, a two-time World Cup champion and one of the most respected voices in the sport, shared his thoughts during an interview with ESPN. “Honestly, I don’t like to get into those discussions… I think some people have very high self-esteem,” Nazario said. “I prefer when people talk about my performances, what I did, what I was, instead of me talking about myself. But Cristiano Ronaldo has a fantastic story, he has conquered great things.”
The Brazilian icon went on to praise Ronaldo’s achievements while making his stance clear. “He scored goals in every way possible, even after changing positions,” Nazario added. “That’s not easy to do — he’s definitely among the best players in history. But the best? I don’t agree. I respect his opinion, but I’d place him in the top 10.” Nazario’s comments added fuel to an already fiery debate, though for many around the world, Lionel Messi remains the definitive answer.
What did Cristiano Ronaldo say about the World Cup?
Cristiano Ronaldo recently spoke with one of the journalists closest to him, Piers Morgan, in another headline-grabbing interview. As expected, the Portuguese star sparked controversy with his comments about the World Cup’s significance in determining the greatest player of all time.
“If you ask me if it’s a dream to win the World Cup — no, it’s not a dream,” Ronaldo told Morgan. “Define what? Define if I’m one of the best in history just because of a tournament of six or seven games? Do you think that’s fair? It’s not. How many World Cups did Argentina win before Messi? Two? It’s normal — countries used to winning big tournaments. I’m honest — for me, it doesn’t change how I see things or how I see soccer.”
Cristiano on being better than Messi
“Is Messi better than me? I don’t agree. I don’t want to be humble,” Ronaldo said in the same interview with Morgan. His statement echoed comments he had made months earlier to Spanish journalist Edu Aguirre.
“I think I’m the most complete player ever. That’s my opinion. Everyone has their preferences, but I do everything — I’m strong, fast, good with both feet, I head the ball well, I take free kicks, I can play anywhere. Some prefer Messi, Pele, or Maradona, and I respect that, but saying Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t complete is false. I’m the most complete. I’ve never seen a player like me.”