Cristiano Ronaldo, often called the greatest footballer ever, celebrated his 40th birthday on Wednesday. He currently plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia and could represent Portugal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ronaldo is in the final stage of his career, just like his biggest rival, Lionel Messi, who plays for Inter Miami in the MLS.
In the past, Ronaldo and Messi often went head-to-head when Ronaldo played for Real Madrid and Messi for Barcelona. Recently, Ronaldo shared his thoughts in an interview. He expressed his feelings about the Ballon d’Or, an award given to the best player in the world. Ronaldo believes that Vinicius Jr. deserved the award over Rodri last year. He pointed out that Messi has won the Ballon d’Or seven times, while he has it five times.
Ronaldo said, “There is no credibility. Vinicius should be the Ballon d’Or winner. I felt angry about it, but I’ve learned to accept it.” He also noted that he is very competitive and sometimes forgets how much he has achieved. “If I were anyone else, I would have stopped playing football ten years ago,” he added.
He talked about comparing himself to other great players like Messi, Pele, and Maradona, saying, “It’s fine to have preferences, but saying I’m not complete is a lie. I’m the most complete player, and I believe that with all my heart.”
Together, Messi and Ronaldo have collected an amazing 77 official trophies (Messi 44, Ronaldo 33) and have both scored over 800 goals for their clubs and countries during their careers.
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