Cristiano Ronaldo Brushes Off Criticism From Former Teammate Rafael van der Vaart
- Cristiano Ronaldo has addressed remarks from former Real Madrid teammate Rafael van der Vaart, who labelled him "unbelievably selfish"
- Ronaldo has cemented his place in footballs greatest players ever and even in his advanced years he continues to break records like he did in his prime
- He holds the record as the all-time highest goalscorer and ranks second only to his great rival, Lionel Messi, in the number of Ballon d’Or victories
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Cristiano Ronaldo has addressed remarks from former Real Madrid teammate Rafael van der Vaart, who labelled him "unbelievably selfish."
In a recent talkSPORT interview, the retired Dutch footballer reflected on his time playing alongside the Al-Nassr captain at the Spanish capital.
Source: Getty Images
While he acknowledged the Portuguese superstar's exceptional talent and described him as being "ahead of his time," Van der Vaart also critiqued Ronaldo's approach to the game during their shared 2009-10 season.
He suggested that the Portuguese icon often placed personal success above team goals, implying that his focus was more on individual achievements than collective victories.
Ronaldo dismisses Van der Vaart’s criticism
Despite the criticism, Van der Vaart’s remarks also highlighted Ronaldo’s undeniable impact and groundbreaking influence on football during that era.
When a social media post highlighted Van der Vaart’s comments, Ronaldo appeared unbothered, responding dismissively with:
"Who is that guy?"
Van der Vaart, however, also acknowledged Ronaldo's exceptional work ethic, sharing a humorous anecdote:
"He never left his house. I always joke that Ronaldo is the only player whose private parts I’ve never seen because he was always so focused—first on the training pitch, last to leave."
What's next for Ronaldo?
Unfazed by the critique, Ronaldo is gearing up for Al-Nassr’s crucial clash against Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Ittihad on Friday.
With Al-Ittihad vying for their ninth league title, the match will be pivotal as Ronaldo and his teammates look to close the gap in the title race.
Ronaldo called 'selfish' by ex-teammate
In a separate report by YEN.com.gh, Rafael van der Vaart described Cristiano Ronaldo as "very selfish" during their time together at Real Madrid.
The former Manchester United forward shared the pitch with Van der Vaart in 21 appearances at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Source: AFP
