Ronaldo Nazario Shares His Thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo’s GOAT Status
- Ronaldo Nazario was asked if Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest footballer of all time — and his answer was surprising
- The Brazilian legend praised CR7’s incredible achievements but said he wouldn’t call him the GOAT, placing him only in the top 10
- Despite acknowledging Ronaldo’s versatility and goal-scoring prowess, Nazario stopped short of naming him the best in history
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Brazilian football icon Ronaldo Nazario has finally weighed in on the long-debated question of whether Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest footballer of all time.
Over his illustrious career, the Portuguese superstar has shattered records and played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Sporting Club de Portugal, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.
Source: Getty Images
Now playing for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, the 40-year-old forward has amassed an astonishing 790 goals in 1050 club appearances, securing his place among football’s all-time legends.
Despite the Portugal captain’s remarkable achievements, Ronaldo Nazario stopped short of calling him the greatest of all time.
Ronaldo Nazario rubbishes Cristiano's GOAT claim
When asked directly if the ex-Manchester United superstar deserves the GOAT title, the Brazilian legend placed him among the top 10 but hesitated to crown him the best ever.
Ronaldo Nazario said, as reported by ESPN:
“Well, I don't like to get into these things, but people have a lot of self-esteem... I prefer that people talk like that about my performance, about what I was... and not that I have to talk about myself,”
“He has a fantastic story, doesn’t he? He conquered wonderful things, scored goals in every way, including a change of position because he has played as a winger and striker. "
"That's not easy. He’s among the best in history, but the best? I don't know... No, I don’t agree. I respect your opinion, but for me, he is among the best. I would say among the top 10.”
"Pelé number 1 without a doubt, Messi and Maradona tied together, Zico, Romário, Cristiano Ronaldo, [Marco] Van Basten, [Zinedine] Zidane, [Luis] Figo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, a series of players, there are many great players on this list, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some. Every time someone asks me about this ranking, I make a different list. Only these first three are definitive."
Ronaldo Nazario names his worst teammate
In a separate interview, Ronaldo Nazario made headlines for his candid assessment of one of his former Real Madrid teammates.
When asked about the worst player he had ever played alongside, he pointed to Danish midfielder Thomas Gravesen.
“There was one at Real Madrid that was a joke. Gravesen was a really great guy, a very good person. He recently won a $50 million tournament. But in football, he was very bad,” Ronaldo stated in an interview with Romario TV.
Gravesen joined Real Madrid in January 2005 from Premier League side Everton for a reported fee of £2.5 million.
Despite his struggles, he did manage to score in one of his early matches for the club, during a 4-0 victory over Espanyol.
Ronaldo Nazario snubs Cristiano on 'GOAT' list
Meanwhile, despite these achievements, the Brazilian Ronaldo did not include CR7 among the eight players he considers football’s elite.
In a 2022 interview with the Guardian, Ronaldo listed:
"Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Pelé, Marco van Basten, and Ronaldinho are part of a very special group – also including himself," he said.
"Let the fans debate it in the bars," he said. "But you can’t rank them or compare generations."
Source: Getty Images
While his selections are undoubtedly legendary, the omission of Cristiano Ronaldo is hard to ignore.
Other football greats like Michel Platini, Alfredo Di Stefano, Zinedine Zidane, George Best, and Ferenc Puskas might also feel overlooked by Ronaldo Nazario's exclusive list.
Haaland, other stars pick Ronaldo as GOAT
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that several players shared their opinions on the ongoing GOAT debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the UEFA Champions League.
The two legendary figures have long dominated the competition with remarkable goals and decisive performances.
Erling Haaland, Virgil van Dijk, Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Florian Wirtz all expressed their support for Ronaldo as the greatest of all time.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
