‘I’m the greatest scorer’: Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring Portugal’s fourth goal in their UEFA Nations League match against Poland in November 2024. Pic/Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo turned 40 years of age on Wednesday but continues to play with the same confidence and self-esteem as he has always boasted throughout his successful career. Ronaldo, the former Real Madrid star who now plys his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr, apparently has no doubt about who should be considered the best football player ever.

"I am the greatest scorer in history," Ronaldo said in an interview with Spanish television channel La Sexta. "Although I am not left-footed, I am in the top 10 in history for goals scored with the left foot. These are [my] numbers, I am the most complete player who has ever existed. "I play well with my head, I take good free kicks, I am fast, I am strong, I jump high. I have never seen anyone better than me," he added. The Portugal star holds most scoring records in men's international football, including most appearances with 217 and most goals with 135.

In total, he has netted 923 goals across 1261 professional matches. He also boasts 5 Ballon d'Or trophies to back his claims, with only Argentina's Lionel Messi having won the prestigious award more times (7). Ronaldo's opinion regarding himself is not new. He has mentioned it more than once before that he feels he will go down as the best ever in the history of football. Whenever he was asked about the discussion of who is better, him or Lionel Messi, he always praised the Argentine but ended up siding with himself.

Ronaldo's most recent comments prompted a few reactions from the football world. "I have a lot of respect for Cristiano and I don't have to analyse his opinions. It's what he thinks. I have my own thoughts and it isn't that," said Javier Mascherano, a former teammate of Messi and his current coach at Inter Miami.

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