How Stephen Hendry and football icon savoured Ronnie O'Sullivan's 147 magic – 'Greatest thing I've seen in any sport'

Snooker GOAT Ronnie O'Sullivan has revealed how former Italy striker Fabrizio Ravanelli congratulated him after his world-record 147 break at the Crucible Theatre in 1997. The world No. 1 clocked the fastest and most celebrated maximum break in history in only five minutes and eight seconds during his 10-6 win over Mick Price in the first round of the 1997 World Championship in Sheffield.

Ad O'Sullivan recalls the immediate aftermath of the break when he came across Ravanelli – suitably nicknamed 'The White Feather' – who had moved to Premier League Middlesbrough after scoring in Juventus' triumph against Ajax in the 1996 Champions League final in Rome. Snooker'It means everything to me' – Ursenbacher edges out Pinches to regain tour card at Q School20 HOURS AGO «That was crazy. That break was nuts, but I couldn't win the World Championship playing like that.

I was running round the table,» said O'Sullivan speaking to Hendry on his YouTube channel. The Scotsman feels the audacity and skill of the break transcends snooker. «That's the greatest thing I've seen in any sport,» he told his fellow seven-time world champion.

«When you watch it back you think: 'He's not going to do it in that time?' It's unbelievable.» The break was initially recorded at five minutes and 20 seconds, but was later deemed to be 12 seconds faster after the official timing of the break from start to finish was discovered to be wrong. «I did it so quick, so I didn't have to think,» said O'Sullivan. «I remember seeing you afterwards.

I think Ravanelli was there, remember that? »We were in the hotel and Ravanelli was at Middlesbrough at the time. He signalled to me and said: 'Well done'. «Then I just seen you afterwards and you said there was more