Cristiano Ronaldo: I Am the Most Complete Player in Football History

In an interview with Portugal’s CNN network, Cristiano Ronaldo called himself the most complete player in football history and stressed that his goalscoring record speaks to his standing. The Portugal captain also spoke about his relationship with Lionel Messi, the challenges facing Kylian Mbappé and the difficulty of retirement.

The 41-year-old Portuguese striker, in an interview with CNN Portugal, considered himself the most complete player in the history of football.

According to Ambassador Arjan, the 41-year-old striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for the Saudi Arabian Al-Nasr team, made significant statements. In response to CNN Portugal's questions, Ronaldo mentioned Lionel Messi and said: I am the most complete player.

He said about his comparison with other stars in the world of football: If someone prefers Messi, Pele or Maradona, it is a matter of taste and I understand and respect him, but if someone says that Cristiano is not a perfect player, it is a lie. I am the most complete player ever.

Messi and I were together at the award ceremony for 15 years and we always got along very well. There were even times when I translated his English speeches for him (laughing). He always treated me well. Our competition was healthy and we motivated each other.

I am the best scorer in history, that's all. The numbers are self-explanatory. I am not saying that I must reach 1000 goals, but if I do, it will be amazing.

He also said about Kylian Mbappe, his replacement in Real Madrid: "In my opinion, it is challenging for Mbappe to play as a striker because this is not his natural position." If I were in Madrid, I would teach him how to play as a number 9. I wasn't a top striker myself, but I got used to playing in this position. He is an unpredictable player and cannot be a typical striker who is constantly waiting for a cross in the penalty area to head the ball. He must penetrate into the penalty area from behind. I did it and so can Mbappe.

In the next segment, Ronaldo admitted that he cannot imagine life without football and that retirement will be very difficult mentally. He said that he has been planning for his future since he was 27-28 years old and invested in various fields. In this regard, he said: "If I wake up one day without motivation, I don't want to play anymore."

This interview was published while Ronaldo is involved in a disciplinary case for leaving the Portugal national team camp (after sitting on the bench against Norway) and the Portuguese Federation has temporarily suspended him.