A former Real Madrid head coach has claimed Cristiano Ronaldo “doesn’t have the genius” of Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona or Ronaldo Nazario, while insisting the Portugal star’s greatness has been built on different qualities.
The ex-Madrid boss said Ronaldo is not the kind of natural talent associated with football’s most gifted icons, placing Messi, Maradona and Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario in a separate category when it comes to pure genius.
In the same discussion, it was revealed that the coach still views Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the game’s elite performers, but believes his success comes from relentless work, physical power and an unmatched desire to improve, rather than the instinctive brilliance he attributes to Messi, Maradona and the original Ronaldo.
The comments add to the long-running debate around how the very best players are judged, comparing Ronaldo’s mentality and output with the effortless style often linked to Messi and the other greats mentioned.
