It is no news that Cristiano Ronaldo has never been a player of timid statements. He has always had confidence in his own talent, has always placed himself among the greats in history, and now-with the edge of 40 years on the horizon-he made it once more: he is the greatest of all time.
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But has time vindicated him, or are we seeing a player who, despite his absurd numbers, is fighting a shadow created by himself?
Self-proclaimed best in history
In an interview with La Sexta, CR7 left no room for doubt as to his own view: "I think so. Honestly, I have never seen anyone better than me. I believe I am the most complete player who has ever existed."
If any other player had uttered such a thing, the statement would sound arrogant and without substance. But when he who utters it has 923 official goals, five Ballon d'Ors and a collection of titles that include the Champions League, the Euro and national league titles in three major leagues, the discussion immediately changes in tone.
Cristiano has arguments. His game is complete in every sense: excellent in the air, good on free kicks, lethal with both feet, quick, powerful, and physically strong. He does not need a fixed position. He reinvented himself during his career, going from an explosive dribbler to a clinical finisher.
The eternal battle against Messi, Pelé, and Maradona
The Portuguese superstar realizes there are tastes and opinions, and he knows Messi, Pelé, and Maradona will always be in the discussion. For him, however, it isn't so much of a mystery:
"I do everything in soccer. I'm good in the air, I take free kicks well, I shoot well with my left foot, I'm fast, I'm strong. One thing is personal taste, some prefer Messi, Pelé, or Maradona. I understand that, and I respect it. But saying Cristiano isn't complete is a lie. I am the most complete."
That gives the interesting clue that Cristiano talks not about talents but about completeness, and how for him, it is not necessary to have more talent to be the best in order to have excellence in doing everything.
Pelé was an out-of-this-world phenomenon, a player who dominated every inch of the field. Maradona was an unpredictable genius, capable of making the difference in an instant. Messi, his greatest rival, is a soccer artist-somebody who makes magic out of ordinary plays.
Cristiano Ronaldo sees himself as an efficiency machine, a player who never took anything for granted with pure genius. Everything was conquered through effort, discipline, and that voracious hunger to win. And perhaps it is that mentality alone that puts him at odds with the other greats.
Countdown to 1,000 goals
If there is one thing nobody can deny, it is that Cristiano Ronaldo is getting closer to an extraordinary milestone: 1,000 official goals. With the two against Al-Wasl, he reached 923 goals, with 77 remaining to reach the mark until recently reserved for legends like Pelé and Romário.
But ironically, that has now become an obsessive collective pursuit. Rather than celebrate what the Portuguese star is achieving now, the soccer world seems to care about how many goals are left to reach 1,000.
"I know I am also to blame. But it seems like people are undervaluing what I am doing. This year, I am scoring a lot of goals, beautiful goals, I am playing well. And people aren't appreciating my moment. 'Oh, he still needs 85 goals.' I don't like that; things have to happen naturally."
Understandable frustration, really. Just how many players remain at such a high standard of play in Europe, bar none, and still manage to compete at a high level close to 40 years old?
Cristiano feels he is being reduced to a number-a number that whatever he does will bring him ever closer to this final milestone-and he knows very well that it's the pressure coming from his own legacy that is doing just that.
The Ballon d'Or controversy and disappointment with Vinícius Júnior
Cristiano Ronaldo has never passively accepted the decisions about the Ballon d'Or, and once again, he spoke out — this time in defense of Vinícius Júnior.
"I was surprised. I think he should have won the Ballon d'Or, but I was not surprised because there is no credibility. He won the Champions League, made the difference".
In fact, the Real Madrid squad boycotted the event that gave the prize to Rodri. Vini Jr., for Cristiano, was the true best player in the world; just like, in his own opinion, he should have received the award for those years Messi took it instead.
"I was disappointed for Vinícius. He deserved it. I felt the same way. When the same thing happens twice, it makes you feel powerless. But then I understood, and when you understand things, you don't enter battles you're not going to win."
Cristiano, who over the years had questioned the Ballon d'Or's credibility, now saw history repeating itself. And, of course, he didn't hesitate to go all guns blazing against an award that, for him, lost its credibility along the way. The eternal battle between Cristiano and soccer history is moving on and, with time passing, one thing remains identical: Cristiano Ronaldo. Competitive, full of self-confidence, and above all, determined to carve his name in the history of soccer once more.
He may be far from the biggest European stages, he yet has been breaking records, scoring goals, defying time.
But in the end, is this not enough? Cristiano Ronaldo might just be the complete player in history. He could also get to 1,000 official goals. He may also refuse to acknowledge anyone above him.
Greatness in soccer, however, is not just about what is achieved on the field; it is about the legacy left for future generations. And, in the end, only time will be able to say who was really the greatest of all time.