When Cristiano Ronaldo Named the Greatest Player He’s Watched in Person
- Portugal phenom Cristiano Ronaldo once conceded that his arch-rival Lionel Messi is the best player he's ever seen
- The rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi is one of football's most iconic narratives, shaping the sport for nearly two decades
- Meanwhile, both Messi and Ronaldo have been snubbed for this year's Ballon d'Or Awards list
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Cristiano Ronaldo previously named the best player he's ever seen live, though he admitted he would have preferred to choose himself.
Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and recently surpassed the 900-goal milestone in his professional career.
Source: UGC
The 39-year-old hit the 900-goal milestone with his second strike in Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday, per Goal.
Never content to rest on his laurels, the Portuguese star has already set his sights on reaching 1,000 goals before hanging up his boots.
For many, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid icon is the greatest player in football history.
He has won five Ballon d'Or awards, a feat surpassed only by his longtime rival Lionel Messi, who holds the record with eight.
Ronaldo names the best player he's ever seen live
In 2022, TV presenter and journalist Piers Morgan said that Ronaldo privately admitted to him that Lionel Messi was the greatest player he had ever seen—though the Al-Nassr star stopped short of acknowledging the Argentine as superior to himself.
Morgan recounted the conversation on talkSPORT, saying:
"We had dinner after my first interview with him three years ago, and it was a fascinating conversation. I really like him as a person."
He continued:
"Cristiano was incredibly respectful of Messi. I asked him, 'Who's the best player you've ever seen?' He replied, 'Messi, but you're asking the wrong question—you should be asking who the best player is,' since, of course, he's never seen himself play live."
Messi, Ronaldo miss out on Ballon d'Or list
Meanwhile, the 2024 Ballon d'Or Awards have highlighted the approaching end of an era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two icons of world football for nearly two decades.
For the first time in over 20 years, neither Messi nor Ronaldo has been nominated for the prestigious award, marking a significant moment as both legends, now in their late 30s, move closer to the twilight of their remarkable careers.
Why Ronaldo 'sold' his Ballon d'Or Award
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Cristiano Ronaldo, despite owning five Ballon d'Or trophies, made the extraordinary choice to auction one of his replica awards in 2017.
In a remarkable gesture, Ronaldo decided to auction off his 2013 Ballon d'Or replica for charity.
The proceeds from the sale went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organisation dedicated to supporting children with serious illnesses.
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