Ronaldo Nazario once excluded Cristiano Ronaldo from his list of the greatest football players ever. CR7 is not one of the eight players who Brazilian Ronaldo believes to be the best in football, despite his accomplishments.
While referring to a “special group” of football heroes, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was left out of the list by the Brazilian star.
It’s interesting to note that the Portuguese superstar has been in sensational form, particularly with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, where he delivered an impressive goal tally last season.
According to Transfermarkt, he also netted five goals for Portugal during the 2024 European Championship qualifiers but struggled in the tournament itself, managing just one assist.
Despite these achievements, the Brazilian Ronaldo did not include CR7 among the eight players he considers football’s elite.
In an 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.”
Even while his choices are certainly famous, it’s difficult to overlook Cristiano Ronaldo’s exclusion.
The fact that Ronaldo Nazario’s list is exclusive may make other football legends like Michel Platini, Alfredo Di Stefano, Zinedine Zidane, George Best, and Ferenc Puskas feel left out.
By: Mustapha Hadji – Ahotor Sports Desk