Cristiano Ronaldo has been hailed for still taking football to “another stratosphere” at 40 as Rio Ferdinand shut down claims he is “selfish”.
The Portuguese star celebrates on Wednesday as he turns 40, a milestone during which he has established himself as one of the greatest players in football history.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner recently stated in an interview with La Sexta that he considers himself the greatest footballer of all time. He argued that his trophy collection and goal-scoring feats justify his place at the top of the football hierarchy.
Ronaldo’s comments reignited debates over whether his relentless pursuit of personal records overshadows his team contributions. Critics have often portrayed him as ego-driven, pointing to his visible frustration on the pitch when things do not go his way.
However, Ferdinand was quick to dismiss those accusations, arguing that Ronaldo’s mentality is what makes him a once-in-a-lifetime player.
“People need to understand sometimes – they look at him and think that he is the highest-paid, a good-looking guy – he is going to be selfish, etc. They are far from the truth,” he said in an interview with BBC.
“He is a man who wants to be remembered forever. He has done nothing short of greatness. He has rejigged the record books in so many different categories within the game – physically, he has taken it to another planet, another stratosphere. What he is achieving, what he is doing, his age, his consistency over so many years. He doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. He has got more money than God. He has won more trophies than most.
He has the most goals. He still wants to get up and see himself looking for that extra one per cent to be the best. He is just different. He is made different.”
Despite continuing to dominate on the pitch, Ronaldo has yet to extend his contract with Al-Nassr, which is set to expire at the end of the 2024-25 season. However, it has been reported that the Saudi club are preparing a lucrative contract extension that could see Ronaldo earn an astonishing €550,000 (£457,000/$568,000) per day.
Modern football would not be the same without the influence of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has transformed the game through his discipline, goals, and titles, placing him among the all-time greats alongside legends like Diego Maradona, Pelé, and Lionel Messi.
