Brazilian Ronaldo says he's better than Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo Nazario (L) and Cristiano Ronaldo meets in 2017. Photo by Real Madrid

Speaking on Romario TV, the interviewer prompted comparisons between Ronaldo Nazario and several renowned players, including Thierry Henry, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Adriano and Cristiano Ronaldo. Without hesitation, Ronaldo stated he was better than all five.

When asked about Lionel Messi, however, Ronaldo paused briefly before replying: "Messi."

The discussion ended with a question comparing Ronaldo to Romario himself. The 2002 World Cup top scorer answered with a smile: "Tie".

Ronaldo has previously praised Messi as the best player of all time. In past interviews and when naming his all-time dream team, he often included Messi while leaving out Cristiano Ronaldo. In a September 2024 interview with Goal, his list of top attackers featured himself, Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona and Pele.

However, Ronaldo has acknowledged Cristiano Ronaldo's greatness on one occasion, grouping him with Maradona, Messi and Pele among the all-time greats.

At 48, Ronaldo Nazario's legacy is marked by his three FIFA World Player of the Year awards (1996, 1997 and 2002), two World Cup titles (1994 and 2002), and a great club career with Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, despite multiple serious knee injuries.

In the same interview with Romario TV, Ronaldo shared his preference for Real Madrid over Barcelona.

Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40, boasts five FIFA World Player of the Year awards, five Champions League titles and a Euro 2016 victory. Unlike his Brazilian counterpart, Cristiano's career has been largely free of major injuries, enabling him to achieve 924 goals in 1,263 games, cementing his place as the highest scorer in football history.