Manchester United great Rio Ferdinand has claimed Cristiano Ronaldo is not a fan of being considered just an industrious player in the longstanding debate involving Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo, 41, has earned his name as a prolific goalscorer and a determined player over the last two decades, establishing himself as one of the greatest players of all time. He has also often been hailed as a pinnacle of longevity due to his tenacious approach to keeping himself fit.
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However, Ferdinand has revealed that the Portugal and Al-Nassr captain does not want to be only defined by his physical prowess and mental fortitude. He stated on YouTube channel The Late Run:
“Some people say about (him) that (he has) had to work harder at it, and people respect that more. He takes that as an insult. He’s like, ‘You can’t be me without the ability’ and what he’s saying is right. ‘Don’t try and make me like as a hard worker, I do work hard and there is no stone left unturned and I do everything to be the best, but you can’t do what I do with a little bit of ability’.”
Ronaldo, who is often regarded as less naturally talented than Messi, rose to fame as a pacy dribbler at Manchester United. He transformed himself into a clinical left-sided inside forward at Real Madrid before reshaping himself into a classic number nine in his early thirties.
The five-time Ballon d’Or award winner has scored a staggering 965 goals in 1311 total matches in his club and country career. In comparison, Messi has scored 900 goals in 1142 games in all competitions.
Ex-Manchester United star remarks on Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi playing together
During a chat with GOAL, former Italy attacker Giuseppe Rossi was asked whether he would love to see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as club teammates in the future. He responded:
“I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to see (them) together. That would be kind of weird. Just keep them separate. If Ronaldo wants to play in the United States, you put him on… what’s another team in Florida? Orlando. So at least they could have a good rivalry there.”
The Portuguese has a contract until June 2027 at Al-Nassr, while Messi has a deal until December 2028 at Inter Miami. The former could choose to leave his team as a free agent next summer to end his career in the Major League Soccer (MLS).
Both the forwards are likely to feature in their last FIFA World Cup in North America this summer.
Edited by Debkalpa Banerjee
