Ex-Premier League defender hails Cristiano Ronaldo as ‘GOAT’ after brace in 3-2 Slovakia win

Former Premier League defender Ashley Williams has heralded Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest of all time following his double in Portugal's 3-2 home win against Slovakia on Friday (October 13).

Ronaldo's Selecao sealed their place at the European Championships in Germany next year with a home win against Slovakia. The Al-Nassr slotted home from the spot and scored a tap-in late on.

The brace not only helped Portugal punch their ticket to Euro 2024 but also took the five-time Ballon d'Or winner onto 125 goals in 202 caps. He was feted for reaching 200 appearances (against Iceland in June) with an award before the Estadio do Dragao game.

Williams appeared to have watched Cristiano Ronaldo conjure up yet another stellar performance. He responded to a post from SPORTbible highlighting his goals on the night with a simple GOAT emoticon.

The former Everton defender played against Ronaldo at the 2016 European Championships.

He was on the losing side for Wales as the Portugal captain conjured up another captivating performance. The all-time men's international football's all-time scorer netted in that game and also provided an assist for Nani.

Cristiano Ronaldo put in a similar display against Slovakia as he reached a record-extending six European Championships. Nobody else has played in more than four.

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Diogo Dalot mocks Cristiano Ronaldo for using his phone

Diogo Dalot mocked his Portugal captain.

Cristiano Ronaldo's dedication to football cannot be questioned. The five-time UEFA Champions League winner has spent many years honing his craft and becoming one of the greatest players in history.

However, Ronaldo slipped up recently when his Portugal teammate Diogo Dalot caught him on his phone. The Manchester United right-back posted a hilarious snap of the Al-Nassr superstar scrolling away with the caption:

"This new generation always on the phone."

It may be a playful dig at Cristiano Ronaldo's previous comments about the new generation of players being distracted. He claimed in an interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan that new technology was a problem for younger talent:

"It is part of the life of the new generation, the new technologies which distract them from other things. They are not the same. They listen, but they hear one side (and it goes out the other ear). It doesn’t surprise me, but it is a shame."

Ronaldo has cemented himself as one of the all-time greats and can afford to relax in his downtime. However, it was a comical post from Dalot that went viral on social media.