Ronaldo Nazário On Cristiano Ronaldo Saying He Is The Best In History

Ronaldo Nazário on Cristiano Ronaldo saying he is the best in history:

"Some people have a lot of self-confidence. I prefer others to talk about me rather than me talking about myself."

"He's one of the best players in history, but is he the best? I don’t agree. But I respect his opinion; he’s definitely among the best in history, and I’d say he’s in the top ten."

Ronaldo Nazário (the Brazilian legend, often called "O Fenômeno") has always been classy about Cristiano Ronaldo's ego-fueled GOAT declarations, but he finally dropped a polite-but-firm mic drop in a fresh ESPN Brasil interview earlier this year. When asked about CR7's bold claim during a March 2024 presser—"I haven't seen anybody better than me"—Nazário didn't hold back, calling it a case of "too much self-esteem." He respects the Portuguese icon's haul (five Champions Leagues, Euro 2016, all-time scoring records), but nah—not the undisputed king.

Nazário's Top 5 Ahead of CR7

In the chat, he laid out his personal GOAT hierarchy, bumping Cristiano to the "top 10" club but ranking these five above him based on talent, impact, and that intangible magic:

Rank	Player	Why Nazário Rates 'Em Higher
1	Pelé	"The King—three World Cups, pure genius on the ball."
2	Diego Maradona	"Hand of God magic; carried Argentina solo."
3	Lionel Messi	"Complete artist—eight Balls d'Or speak volumes."
4	Zinedine Zidane	"Elegance in chaos; that 2002 volley? Untouchable."
5	Ronaldo Nazário (himself)	"Raw speed and skill—despite injuries, I was unstoppable."

Nazário wrapped it with love: "Cristiano's accomplished a lot, but the greatest? I don't agree... He's among the best, no doubt." It's that OG respect—two Ron's, one throne, endless debate. Who's your GOAT in this endless beef? Pelé's era or CR7's stats?