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Brazil icon Zico reckons Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't born with the talent of other elite footballers. He said that the Portuguese icon had to work hard to become one of the greatest players of all time.
Cristiano Ronaldo has established himself as one of football's modern greats due to his incredible feats over the last two decades. Despite recently turning 40, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has shown no signs of slowing down and is still going strong for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr.
In a recent interview with his friend Edu Aguirre, Ronaldo said he was the best player in history, over the likes of Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, and Pele.
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Zico was recently asked if Cristiano Ronaldo's statement conveyed a lack of modesty, to which he replied (via @TheNassrZone on X):
“No, he should really say that. People talk about him like he's just a goalscorer and that's not true man, Cristiano is a great reference for any footballer, because he wasn't born with the talent of other players, he became the best thanks to his dedication and effort.”
On Ronaldo's incredible goal record, Zico added:
“I hope he scores 2,000 goals or more. He rarely gets injured and never stops training. He has dedicated his life to football, and that deserves applause and respect.”
Cristiano Ronaldo's excellent work rate and discipline have enabled him to become the highest male goalscorer of all time. Excluding club friendlies, the Portugal icon has bagged 924 goals and 257 assists in 1263 career appearances across all competitions.
How has Cristiano Ronaldo fared for Al-Nassr this season?
Al-Nassr were recently held to a frustrating stalemate in their AFC Champions League clash against Persepolis after Cristiano Ronaldo was handed a rest (February 17). Despite this, the 40-year-old has been in sensational form for the Knights of Najd.
Ronaldo has scored 24 goals and provided four assists in 27 appearances across all competitions this season for Al-Nassr. He has helped the Saudi outfit challenge for the title. The Knights of Najd are third in the league table with 44 points from 20 games, eight points behind leaders Al-Ittihad.
Despite being knocked out of the King Cup of Champions and Saudi Super Cup, Stefano Pioli and Co. have also done well in the AFC Champions League. They finished third in Group B with 17 points from eight fixtures and have progressed to the next round.
Al-Nassr will next face Al-Ettifaq in the SPL on Friday, February 21.
