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There hasn't been a conversation about the best players in the world that doesn't include Cristiano Ronaldo, at least for the past decade. His growth at Manchester United catapulted the Portuguese maestro to the very top. His presence at Real Madrid redefined La Liga forever. Even now his career continues to blossom at Old Trafford.
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Perhaps the most prolific goalscorer in modern football, Cristiano Ronaldo has broken numerous records, even some he had already set by himself. The Red Devils talisman won his first Ballon d'Or aged 23. Now at age 36, he remains in contention for the most prestigious individual award in world football.
Only a few players apart from Cristiano Ronaldo have made over 1,100 career appearances with nearly 800 goals. Notably, the star also has the most goals and assists in the history of the UEFA Champions League.
Throughout his career, the potent marksman has won a record 32 major trophies. This includes the Serie A title, La Liga titles, back-to-back Champions League title, and three consecutive Premier League titles. He's clearly a brilliant, world-class player in every way. With his current goalscoring stats for Manchester United, Ronaldo isn't ready to slow down yet.
The Portuguese star is, by far, the most influential athlete in the world. His massive social media following is the largest across nearly every social media platform. This speaks volumes about just how prominent the star has become.
It's no surprise that his team-mates, rival players, coaches, and even football legends have spoken in awe of the CR7 brand he portrays. His individual achievements are numerous and his trophy wins are immumerable. He is, by far, the most popular sportsman in the world.
Without further ado, let's take a look at ten of the greatest quotes spoken about Cristiano Ronaldo, including one from his sole rival Lionel Messi.
#10 Eusebio | Benfica legend
Before Cristiano Ronaldo, there was another Portuguese legend who took Europe by storm, scoring 733 goals in 745 appearances - Eusebio. The legendary striker spent his prime terrorizing clubs across Europe. It's only fitting that he recognizes just how much of a terror Cristiano Ronaldo is in the final third:
“He has magic in his boots. The first thing you notice about him is that he is incredibly quick and very, very powerful for such a young man. He has great, close control and his technique is excellent. He believes he can do anything with the ball, and that confidence makes him very special indeed.”
#9 Johan Cruyff | Barcelona legend
Johan Cruyff was already a three-time Ballon d'Or winner before he even joined Barcelona in 1988. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest players in the history of the beautiful game. Other highly successful players included George Best and Denis Law, both of whom Cruyff compared to Cristiano Ronaldo:
“Cristiano Ronaldo is better than George Best and Denis Law, who were two brilliant and great players in the history of United.”
#8 Sir Bobby Charlton | Manchester United legend
Sir Bobby Charlton is notable for winning the World Cup with England and picking up a Ballon d'Or as well. He is one of the greatest midfielders in the history of world football. Charlton survived the Munich Air disaster in 1958. He remained at Old Trafford to guide Manchester United back to the echelons of English and European football.
The legend saw a lot during his career in football, but Cristiano Ronaldo takes the cake for him:
"Cristiano Ronaldo is changing the game in Spain. With all that pace and power and athleticism, he is driving Real Madrid back into dominance both there and in Europe. You don’t sit back playing 10-yard passes the way you’re facing with this lad in your team. You go for it. I'm so glad he got his World Footballer of the Year Award. Lionel Messi is a great player, too, but Cristiano deserves the honour. He’s setting football alight."
#7 Jose Mourinho | Roma manager
The relationship between Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't always been rosy. Mourinho was in charge of Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, when he managed Ronaldo and the rest of the team.
During this period, Mourinho criticized Ronaldo for being unable to accept criticism, explaining:
"Maybe [Cristiano Ronaldo] thinks that he knows everything and that the coach cannot improve him anymore..."
However, this has done little to reduce the words of praise that Mourinho has for Ronaldo:
“I saw [Diego] Maradona a couple of times. I never saw Pele. But Cristiano is amazing. This man is the best… Cristiano is a goals machine. He is an incredible player. He is like [Zinedine] Zidane, there will never be another Ronaldo.”
#6 Ronaldo Nazario | Real Valladoid president and Real Madrid legend
Ronaldo Nazario de Lima was one of the few players who has shone for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. The Brazilian was one of the most ruthless strikers of the 90s and 2000s. Injuries may have hampered his progress often, but it didn't keep him from scoring almost every time he came on the pitch.
Notably, he won the prestigious FIFA World Player of the Year award aged 20, also winning the Ballon d'Or at age 21. With all his prowess, Ronaldo de Lima still finds Cristiano Ronaldo unbelievable:
“I trained because I was made to. He trains because he loves to. There are very few players who take such care of their bodies, have such a fierce desire to improve. He’s unbelievable.”
#5 Robbie Ryan | Millwall legend
Robbie Ryan and Millwall had to face Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United in the 2004 FA Cup final. Although Millwall enjoyed a scintillating run to the finals, they had absolutely no chance against a ruthless United outfit. For Robbie Ryan, however, marking Cristiano Ronaldo during the game was a highly memorable moment. He said:
“I have never played against anybody like that in my life and I was pleased to be taken off.”
#4 Sir Alex Ferguson | Manchester United legend
Cristiano Ronaldo once referred to Alex Ferguson as a father, and many Manchester United greats can relate to this view. It was Alex Ferguson who brought the star from Sporting in Portugal to the Theater of Dreams.
It was Ferguson who provided Ronaldo with the playing time he needed to dramatically improve his career. Cristiano Ronaldo is back at Manchester United and his clinical goalscoring skills remain at their peak. For Ferguson, Ronaldo is one of the best ever. He said:
"We’ve had some great players at this club in my 20 years, but he’s up with the best.”
#3 Zinedine Zidane | Real Madrid legend
While Zizou was a player at Real Madrid, he won six major titles, including the Champions League. When he came back as a manager, he catapulted Los Blancos to a remarkable 11 trophies, of which seven were continental.
His most important player through his managerial success? Cristiano Ronaldo.
“When you play with Ronaldo on your team, you are already 1-0 up."
#2 Carlos Quieroz | manager of Egypt national team
His tenure as manager at the Santiago Bernabeu might be undistinguished, but his work as the assistant manager of Manchester United was brilliant. Second in command to Alex Ferguson, Quieroz spent five years coaching Cristiano Ronaldo and the Red Devils. This gave him insight into Ronaldo's genius, comparing the star to Michael Jordan:
[He’s] a world star in soccer like Michael Jordan was in basketball … They have both been blessed with a genius that has never been seen before.
#1 Lionel Messi | Barcelona Legend, rival
Both players have shared the Ballon d'Or podium so many times over the past decade that there clearly isn't a better player than the duo. While Lionel Messi was in Barcelona, the rivalry matches against Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid had worldwide viewership. Everyone wanted to see both stars match up against each other.
Their rivalry, set in place by how exceptional they both are, hasn't stopped Messi from admiring just how brilliant Ronaldo is. He commented:
“(Ronaldo) is always there scoring goals in all the games and taking part in his club and national side. He has been doing that for many years and whether he is at his peak or a bit below it makes no difference.”
