“Neither Messi nor Pele would say anything like this” - Cristiano Ronaldo slammed by West Ham chief for branding himself ‘unique’

West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady has lambasted Cristiano Ronaldo for calling himself a unique player, insisting that Lionel Messi or Pele would never say anything of the sort.

Cristiano Ronaldo completed a free transfer to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Nassr in December on a deal that will see him earn £175 million per season. The Portuguese ace left Manchester United last November after his contract was terminated by mutual consent.

Following his move to the Middle East, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner made a fairly immodest claim in his first press conference at the club. Cristiano Ronaldo stated that his lucrative Al Nassr contract is unique because he is a unique player.

This clearly did not sit well with West Ham chief Brady, who wrote in her column for The Sun:

"Maybe there’s a lot to like about Ronaldo. He’s athletic and an unstoppable goalscorer. But this recent comment reeks of conceit: ‘I’m happy, proud to join Al Nassr . . . This contract is unique because I am a unique player. It’s normal for me’."

She then claimed that the Portuguese ace was obsessed with his long-time Argentine rival and added:

"For a start he isn’t a unique player. He does most things well and some brilliantly but nothing others can’t or haven’t. Neither Messi nor Pele would say anything like this. And nudging at Ronaldo all the time is his obsession with Messi, whose career at Barcelona was at least the equal of his at Real Madrid."

Brady also stated that Cristiano Ronaldo would have been frustrated at Portugal's FIFA World Cup campaign, compared to Messi, who won the tournament with Argentina. She also pointed out that Ronaldo was benched for Portugal's Round of 16 and quarterfinal fixtures.

"Gives him the edge over Messi" - Piers Morgan makes interesting claim over Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo's contract at Old Trafford was terminated after the club and the player had a massive fallout, thanks to his scathing interview with Piers Morgan.

The British broadcaster, who is a huge fan of the Portuguese superstar, believes Cristiano Ronaldo now has the upper hand over Messi after his move to Al-Nassr.

Morgan said (via GOAL):

"Thanks to the fall-out from our interview, Ronaldo signed the biggest transfer deal in football history, and is now the world’s highest-paid athlete, at the age of 37.

He’s also doing what he’s done throughout his career, and which for me gives him the edge over Messi, and that’s challenge himself in a new country, and new league, at a time when football in the Middle East is really taking off, as we saw at the Qatar World Cup where Morocco reached the semi-finals and Saudi Arabia beat the eventual winners, Messi’s Argentina."