Jose Mourinho has weighed in on the debate over the greatest footballer of all time, stating that he does not consider either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to hold that esteemed title.
The renowned manager reflected on the incredible careers of both players, as Ronaldo celebrates his 40th birthday on Wednesday. Despite possessing an impressive record of five Ballon d’Or trophies and five Champions League titles, Mourinho suggests there’s another who surpasses him in terms of sheer ability.
Ronaldo, currently with Al-Nassr, continues to demonstrate his remarkable skill and longevity, scoring yet another brace just this week, nearly 23 years since his professional debut. He remains on track to achieve a historic 1,000 career goals before retirement.
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The competition between Messi and Ronaldo was fierce during their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively, where they regularly produced seasons with goal tallies exceeding fifty and broke numerous records.
However, despite having coached his compatriot to a La Liga title and regularly facing the challenge of Messi, Mourinho asserts that Ronaldo Nazario de Lima, known as ‘Ronaldo, El Fenomeno,’ is superior in pure ability, reports the Mirror.
In an interview with LiveScore, Mourinho declared: “Ronaldo, El Fenomeno. Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi have had longer careers, they have remained at the top every day for 15 years.
“However, if we are talking strictly about talent and skill, nobody surpasses Ronaldo. Injuries killed a career that could have been even more incredible, but the talent that that 19-year-old boy had was something incredible.”
The Brazilian, who retired from the game in 2011, won the World Cup twice and claimed two Ballons d’Or. At his prime for Barcelona and Inter Milan in the late 1990s, he earned the nickname ‘O Fenomeno’ (The Phenomenon) due to his astonishing hybrid attributes of technique, speed, finishing, skill and sheer power.
Mourinho was able to witness the ex-Brazil international’s otherworldly talents during his stint as an assistant and translator to the legendary Bobby Robson during Ronaldo’s only season (1996/1997) at Barcelona.
Regrettably, the South American’s career was plagued by devastating knee injuries, which left him out of the game for almost two years. His lengthy absence also meant that he was unable to enjoy a long peak like Cristiano or Messi, while he also failed to capture a Champions League winners medal.
That wasn’t the case for the Portuguese Ronaldo and Messi, with the latter clinching four Champions League titles of his own. Mourinho also conceded that it’s the Argentine icon that edges it when compared to the 40-year-old.
“Of course, I would say the little guy [Messi],” Mourinho responded when asked by Rio Ferdinand on who was the superior player in the modern era. “But the little guy was not coachable. But I have to say that in our generation, he was the best player.”
Messi, who reigns as the all time goalscorer and appearance maker for both Barcelona and Argentina, has a whopping 861 career goals. The Inter Miami talisman also boasts a World Cup triumph and two Copa America titles under his belt.
While Ronaldo is unable to flaunt a World Cup medal and having three less Ballon d’Ors than his long-time rival, he is the all-time leading scorer of international goals, with a remarkable 135 to his name. The football icon has scored 923 senior career goals and holds the record as the top goalscorer for both Portugal and Real Madrid.