Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo says himself and Barcelona captain Lionel Messi are the only two footballers to have maintained the same level of brilliance for over a decade.
Speaking to France Football, Ronaldo praised Messi while maintaining his position as the best footballer in the world. When asked about the Balon d’Or, the Portuguese star said his stats speak for himself and that he is still in the equation as a strong candidate.
“Some people say that my time is over, or that it is the end of an era. It is not. I am and I will always be in talks for the prize and I deserve to win it,” Ronaldo said.
Sharing his views regarding other footballers who could win the award, Ronaldo mentioned Salah, Modric, Griezmann, Varane and Mbappé but questioned their long-term performances. “How many players have maintained the same level for over 10 years? I can count them with my fingers. Let’s say there are two: me and Lionel Messi.”
He also did not shy away from talking about his age. Ronaldo, who will be 34 in February 2019, said that he knows one day it will all end so he wants to perform at the top level for as long as he can. “I want to feel the same pleasure of playing for my club and country. It will end in four, five, six years, but I will continue to be on top.”
Ronaldo breaks silence over departure from Madrid
The 33-year-old also broke silence over his decision to quit Real Madrid. “I felt that inside the club, especially on the part of the president, I was not under the same consideration as I was when I started with the club. The first four or five years there, I had the feeling of being Cristiano Ronaldo. Then, I felt it less. The look in the president’s eyes told me that he no longer felt the same, that I was no longer indispensable,” the Portuguese superstar said.
Sources within Real Madrid had claimed that Ronaldo demanded a pay-rise and a contract extension that would earn him more than Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-German (PSG)’s Neymar. The differences between the two parties led to them parting ways – a move that has come worse for Madrid.
The whites have had a poor start to the season and are ranked 9th in the league table with recent defeats against Barcelona and bottom-table clubs Levante and Deportivo Alaves.
Coach Julen Lopetegui was also sacked on Monday and will be replaced by B team coach Santiago Solari as the European champions aim for damage control.