Cristiano Ronaldo says he is better than Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele, before taking a swipe at MLS

Ronaldo believes he is the greatest footballer of all time

Cristiano Ronaldo playing football

Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed the perception that he is simply a goalscorer and described himself as “the most complete player that has ever existed”.

The 39-year-old scored twice in Al Nassr’s 4-0 win over Al Wasl in the Asian Champions League on Monday night to take his career tally to 923 goals but he said there has always been far more to his game than simply putting the ball in the net.

In an interview with La Sexta, he said: “There are some things that don’t make sense. What does a goalscorer mean? It’s someone who puts the ball in the goal.

“I think I’m the most complete player that has ever existed. I do everything in football. I play well with my head, I take good free kicks, I have a left foot, a right foot, I’m strong…

“People could like [Lionel] Messi, [Diego] Maradona or Pele, and I respect it, but I’m the most complete.

“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.”

Fight with Messi was ‘healthy’

Ronaldo and Argentina captain Messi have fought a long-running battle for individual supremacy with both enjoying incredible careers that are now in their final throes.

The pair share a combined 15 Ballon d’Or awards and tens of team honours, most notably after spells at Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.

There has been constant speculation Ronaldo and Messi do not get on on a personal level but the Portuguese says that is simply not the case.

“I’ve never had a bad relationship with Messi. We’ve shared 15 years of awards, and we’ve always gotten along well. I remember that I used to translate English for him, and it was very funny,” he said.

“He defended his club and I mine, and his national team and I mine. I think we gave each other motivation. There were years when he wanted to play everything, and so did I. It was a healthy fight.”

‘Pro League is stronger than MLS’

Ronaldo, who turns 40 tomorrow, is enjoying life in Saudi Arabia but gets prickly over suggestions the Pro League is weaker than many other leagues around the world.

“I didn’t think it would grow so fast, but I knew the league was going to be top-tier, as it is now,” he said.

“People don’t know. People talk too much and give opinions without knowing. That’s normal. Sometimes I feel bad because the reality is completely different when people talk about Saudi Arabia and when they talk about the United States, for example.”

Asked if he felt the Pro League was stronger than Major League Soccer, where Messi plays for Inter Miami, Ronaldo replied: “Of course, of course. But because it’s Saudi Arabia, people look down on it a bit more. 

“But I also know that the people who talk don’t know what they’re saying. Only those who play here, only those who are in the league, know. You have to give it the credit it deserves.”

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Jon Fisher

Jon has over 20 years' experience in sports journalism having worked at the Press Association, Goal and Stats Perform, covering three World Cups, an Olympics and numerous other major sporting events.

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