Cristiano Ronaldo Declares Himself the Greatest Footballer of All Time The age-old debate over who is the greatest footballer of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, has been reignited once again, with Ronaldo making a bold claim about his superiority. In a recent interview with Spanish television, Ronaldo confidently stated that he is the most complete player to ever grace the sport . "I’m the best player in football history. I haven’t seen anyone better than me in football history, and I’m saying the truth from my heart," he told LaSexta TV . While acknowledging that many fans may prefer Messi, Pelé, or Diego Maradona, Ronaldo insisted that numbers back up his argument. "I’m talking about numbers. I think I’m the most complete player to have existed. In my opinion, I think it’s me. I do everything well in football: with my head, free kicks, left foot. I’m fast. I’m strong," he asserted. The 39-year-old forward, who currently captains Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr , has often been compared to Messi throughout his illustrious career. Despite the ongoing debate, Ronaldo believes statistics prove his dominance, particularly when it comes to goal-scoring. A Record-Breaking Career Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, is the highest goal scorer in football history with 923 career goals. His latest goals came in Al-Nassr’s 4-0 victory over Al Wasl in the AFC Champions League . "Who’s the best goal scorer in history? It’s about numbers. Full stop," he emphasized. "Who’s the player in history who’s scored the most goals with their head, their left foot, penalties, free kicks? I was looking the other day, and not being left-footed, I’m in the top 10 goal scorers with their left foot in history, and with my head and with my right foot and penalties. All of them." No Plans for Retirement Despite turning 40 soon, Ronaldo has no intentions of stepping away from football . "I’m so competitive that sometimes I forget what I’ve achieved. Because it gives me motivation to do more and do better every year," he said. "Somebody else in my position would have left football 10 years ago. I’m different, full stop." His move to the Saudi Pro League in 2023 sparked discussions about the league's quality compared to others. Ronaldo dismissed criticism, saying, "People don’t know what they’re talking about. With those players who are here, you have to respect it." Looking Back at Real Madrid Ronaldo also reflected on his departure from Real Madrid in 2018, expressing disappointment with how the club handled contract negotiations. However, he did not rule out a return to the Bernabéu in some capacity after his career ends. He also praised current Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, likening him to Zinedine Zidane. "Zidane was brilliant, beautiful. Bellingham is 21, he has his whole future ahead of him. The lad will be a top player," Ronaldo said. As the debate between Ronaldo and Messi continues, one thing remains certain, Cristiano Ronaldo is determined to cement his legacy as football’s greatest ever .
