"Cristiano is something special" - Real Madrid star heaps praises on Cristiano Ronaldo, compares him to NBA superstar LeBron James

Real Madrid superstar Toni Kroos recently compared his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo to LeBron James.

Kroos became teammates with Ronaldo when he completed a €25 million move to Los Blancos from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2014. They shared the pitch 170 times, combining for 16 goals. The pair won multiple trophies together, including three UEFA Champions League titles.

Kroos recently shed light on what makes Ronaldo unique and why the Portuguese is still going strong at the ripe age of 38.

He said (via Sports Brief):

"Cristiano is something special. How did he get to this point? This obsession in training. Always wanting to be the best - working to be his best version."

Kroos then went on to compare Cristiano Ronaldo to LeBron James as he said:

"He wasn't satisfied when it was 4-0 and if he had only scored two goals because he always wanted to score a third, fourth, and fifth goal. This obsession made him the player that he is. That's what the public doesn't see... A clear parallel to LeBron James."

Further speaking on Ronaldo's success at the twilight of his career, Kroos added:

"You see how he still dominates games at 38 and you just ask yourself how!"

Ronaldo and James are two of the greatest athletes in their respective sports. One is a master of football, while another has been the pinnacle of basketball in the recent past.

Apart from their generational talents, both superstars have unmatched work ethics, which helps them perform at the highest level during the latter stages of their careers.

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Throwback to Cristiano Ronaldo's legendary Real Madrid career

Cristiano Ronaldo became the world's most expensive player when Real Madrid shelled out €94 million to sign the Portuguese from Manchester United in 2009.

Ronaldo, already a Ballon d'Or winner, rose from stardom to superstardom in the Spanish capital. He made an instant impact, proving Real Madrid's decision to splash the cash on him was the correct one.

The Portugal captain left as a legend in 2018 as he completed a €117 million move to Juventus. Ronaldo scored 450 goals in 438 matches with the Spanish giants and is the club's all-time record goalscorer.

He also bagged 131 assists when playing for Los Blancos. Cristiano Ronaldo won a total of 17 trophies with Los Merengues, including four UEFA Champions League titles.