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Published 16:59 IST, June 1st 2020

Cristiano Ronaldo not among Ronaldo Nazario's top 5 players as Lionel Messi tops the list

Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario chose to omit Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo from his list of top five players, which was topped by his rival, Lionel Messi.

Reported by: Sreehari Menon
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Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario snubbed Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the Ronaldo top 5 players list this week. However, Cristiano Ronaldo's arch-rival Lionel Messi tops the list which also includes Paris Saint-Germain duo Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. Ronaldo Nazario chose to omit his namesake Cristiano Ronaldo, despite the Portuguese skipper winning five Ballon d'Ors.

Also Read: Roger Federer Beats Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi As The Highest-paid Athlete In 2020

Messi vs Ronaldo debate: Lionel Messi tops the Ronaldo top 5 players list; Cristiano Ronaldo omitted

Speaking to Spanish publication AS, Real Madrid icon Ronaldo Nazario named five players he loves to watch playing football. The Brazilian legend put Barcelona captain Lionel Messi at the top of the Ronaldo top 5 players list. However, Ronaldo Nazario couldn't find a place for former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo, instead choosing PSG's star duo of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe over the Portuguese superstar.

Furthermore, Eden Hazard, Cristiano Ronaldo's replacement at Real Madrid, and Liverpool star Mohammad Salah found a place on the Ronaldo top 5 players list. Cristiano Ronaldo's exclusion provided further fuel to the long-standing Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo debate. Ronaldo Nazario is one of the few players to feature for both Real Madrid and Barcelona, spending six seasons in Spain, winning the LaLiga once. 

Also Read: Mbappe Would Be A Big Plus For Premier League, Claims Alan Shearer Amid Liverpool Rumours

Ronaldo Nazario draws similarities between him and PSG star Kylian Mbappe

Many fans have drawn comparisons between Ronaldo Nazario and Kylian Mbappe, especially with their playing styles and their breakthroughs at the international stage at a young age. Speaking of the comparisons, Ronaldo Nazario said that while he refrains from comparisons, he believes there are some similarities between him and Mbappe. Ronaldo Nazario said that Mbappe has an incredible stride and his pace, ability with both feet, finishing and movement make him a player like him but believes both him and the PSG star played in different eras and the situations were different. Mbappe and Ronaldo were both teenagers when they lifted their first-ever World Cup titles, with Ronaldo lifting his first World Cup in 1994 as a 17-year old, while the former Monaco man won the World Cup in 2018 as a 19-year old. 

Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo's Family Forced To Close Down Brazil Restaurant Amidst COVID-19 Crisis

Also Read: Erling Haaland’s Goalscoring Numbers Beat Lionel Messi And Cristiano Ronaldo's Stats

Updated 16:59 IST, June 1st 2020

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