Former Sporting CP academy graduate Fabio Paim recently downplayed Cristiano Ronaldo‘s achievements, claiming he should have one of CR7’s Ballon d’Ors. The former winger even said he would be on the same tier than the Al-Nassr star and Lionel Messi if he had “half” of Ronaldo’s head.
“Cristiano Ronaldo should offer me one of his Ballon d’Ors,” Paim said in an appearance on a podcast hosted by PT Clipes, via Goal. “I went to Sporting when I was seven years old, I grew up there. They were years of glory in which I won everything I could. I didn’t reach where I could have reached, but I marked a generation. If people don’t forget it’s because I marked them.”
Paim was regarded as a promising talent during his youth, but he failed to live up to those expectations. He never settled in Sporting CP’s first team and bounced around different places on loan, failing to establish himself at any of those clubs. He even spent four months on loan at Chelsea, but didn’t get to play a single minute. Even so, Paim believes he could have been special.
“I said when I was happy that I thought Cristiano Ronaldo could offer me a Ballon d’Or. But it was with humility. If I had half of Cristiano’s head, it wouldn’t be him and Messi. It would be me, him and Messi and maybe he wouldn’t have won the Ballon d’Or that he has. Maybe one of them was mine.”
Paim’s bold comments made so much noise that even Ronaldo heard them. In fact, the Portuguese superstar reacted to the video posted by PT Clipes on Instagram, throwing shade at Paim. “Wtf. Who is this guy?,” Ronaldo wrote.
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Lionel Messi seems to win Ballon d’Or battle against Ronaldo
While Paim claims he could’ve challenged for the world’s best player status, the truth is that no one came close to Messi and Ronaldo during their prime. For years, the Ballon d’Or conversation was reduced to Leo and CR7.
But the Argentine star took off in the last few years, extending his lead to a record eight awards. Ronaldo, on the other hand, remains with five prizes, having last won the Ballon d’Or in 2017.
At 38, Cristiano is spending his sunset years in Saudi Arabia, so chances are Messi’s record will be safe in the foreseeable. Besides, Ronaldo wasn’t even in the 30-man shortlist this year.
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Either way, Messi knows this may have been his last Ballon d’Or. “If I dream for the ninth Ballon d’Or? No, no, I stopped thinking about the Ballon d’Or a while ago, and winning it was never a priority for me, especially now that I have achieved everything in my career. I think it’s the last Ballon d’Or and I’m happy to have achieved everything and be the player with 8 Ballon d’Ors,” he told L’Equipe.
Messi shows nothing but respect for Ronaldo
Following his eighth Ballon d’Or victory, Messi reflected on his rivalry with Ronaldo when both were in their prime in LaLiga. Leo was the face of a star-studded Barcelona, while Cristiano stole the limelight at Real Madrid.
“It was a great battle, from a sporting point of view. We fed off each other’s rivalry because we’re both great competitors. He, too, always wanted to win everything, all the time. It was a very enjoyable time for both of us and for everyone who loves football,” Messi said in the same interview with the French outlet.
