Cristiano Ronaldo’s interview tirade – Man United transfer admission, Messi stance, sly digs
Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed plenty of headlines with his latest blockbuster interview this week.
The Al-Nassr forward is no stranger to stirring the pot, and stayed true to form during his conversation with El Chiringuito's Edu Aguirre, just days before his 40th birthday on Wednesday. He touched on rivalry, destiny, controversy, and everything in between.
Eternal foe Lionel Messi was mentioned, as was Kylian Mbappe, who now wears Ronaldo's old No.7 shirt at Real Madrid. He also spoke about reaching 1,000 career goals, and discussed the fallout from his infamously explosively Manchester United exit in 2022. Here, MEN runs through all the details.
It's fair to say that Ronaldo is a shameless self-promoter, and didn't hesitate to blow his own trumpet for the umpteenth time during the interview. "I think I'm the most complete player there has ever been," he proclaimed, brazenly placing himself at the summit of footballing greatness.
"That's my opinion. It could be a question of taste, but I think it's me. I do everything in football. I head well, I take set pieces well, I shoot well with my left foot, I'm fast, I'm strong, I jump.
"Taste is one thing, saying this, that or that, whether you prefer Messi, Pele or Maradona, I hear it and I respect it, but to say that Cristiano isn't complete is a lie. I'm the most complete. I don't see anyone better than me, and I tell you that with all my heart."
Since moving to the Saudi Pro League in 2023, Ronaldo has had to contend with criticism regarding the league's quality. In an attempt to deflect attention elsewhere, the Portugal international took a veiled swipe at Messi and the quality of football in MLS, though didn't specifically mention the Inter Miami star.
"People talk too much