‘Stop talking nonsense’, Maradona slams Ronaldo on Best Footballer claim

Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s claim of being the best footballer in history, Argentina legend Diego Maradona has asked reporters to tell the Portuguese star to stop talking nonsense.

After picking up his fifth Ballon d’Or title last week Thursday, the Real Madrid superstar declared himself the best footballer in history, saying “I don’t see anyone better than me.”

“No player does things that I cannot do myself, but I see things others can’t do. There’s no more complete player than me. I’m the best player in history — in the good and the bad moments.”

But Maradona, who was not eligible for the award during his playing days as European players only contested it until 1995, believes he would “have more Ballon d’Ors than Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.”

Speaking to AS, the legend disagreed with Ronaldo’s claim but did not fail to admit that he likes the winger for his immense contributions to his Real Madrid team.

“Ronaldo said he is the best ever? Tell him to stop talking nonsense!” began the Al Fujairah boss.

Read Also: Ronaldo counts his blessings, says he’ll keep making fans happy

“The best? For me… From what little I saw of them, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Cruyff… and Messi, but It can be Cristiano too.

“Ronaldo is wonderful. I like his definition. “Another thing that I like about Cristiano Ronaldo is that when the team need him, he delivers. There haven’t been many players since Cruyff with that quality. Not many players who had that quality.”

Ronaldo and Messi have won the last 10 Ballon d’Or awards between them, and Maradona thinks it is boring to have same players lifting the title every year.

The 1986 World Cup winner tips French kid Kylian Mbappe for the award in the future, and added that he (Maradona) would have been even more dominant than Ronaldo and Messi in his days.

“Ballon d’Or? As a trophy… it’s very difficult to give a Ballon d’Or to only player because always giving it to Ronaldo or Messi is boring.

“Who else deserves it? Maybe Cavani, Mbappe, Ibrahimovic, but I don’t know. There were more [contenders] before. I’d have more than Ronaldo and Messi,” he stated.

 

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