'He Doesn't Live For Football...': Former Real Madrid Star Calls Out Club 'GOAT' Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, who holds the record for the most goals in the history of the game, is widely considered one of the greatest football players of all time. Despite his amazing accomplishments, Ronaldo faces criticism and jealousy from certain other players and a specific fanbase. Still, CR7's extraordinary ability and successes are unparalleled, therefore confirming his status as a football hero for the next generations.

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Ex-Real Madrid player attempts to attack Cristiano Ronaldo with derogatory statements 

In an unexpected turn of events on a recent podcast, a former Real Madrid player targeted Cristiano Ronaldo, implying he “doesn't understand how to play football.”

Having spent his 18-year career with teams like Roma, Real Madrid, and AC Milan, former Italian international Antonio Cassano has been vocal about Ronaldo in the past. Particularly in 2021, he called the former Manchester United player confounded. Antonio Cassano said: 

"He doesn't care if others score, he only lives to score himself," Cassano said. “He doesn't live for football, he lives for his own goals, it's clear.”

Following super agent Jorge Mendes' assertion that the five-time Ballon d'Or laureate is the best of all time, he then enumerated five players he thinks are better than Ronaldo in football history.

"Enough of Jorge Mendes," he said on Christian Vieri's Twitch channel. "He is not even among the top five: Messi, Pele, Maradona, Cruyff and Ronaldo 'O Fenómeno are on another level."

Cassano advised Ronaldo to give retirement from football some thought after a difficult start to the 2022/23 season.

"At this point, Cristiano should love himself, do himself a favour and understand that, if he cannot reach a level, he must end his career," the Italian told the Muschio Selvaggio podcast.

"He has won everything, he has been a phenomenon. Now it’s time to retire."

Cassano added: “I have a lot of respect for CR7, but I don’t like him as a player. [Lionel] Messi is like [Diego] Maradona. He had to leave Argentina at the age of 14 and face serious physical problems, which speaks of sacrifices.”

Played at the Bernabeu from 2006 to 2008, the 42-year-old attacker with 139 goals during his career managed only four goals there. Ronaldo, on the other hand, has an amazing goal count for the team, thus stressing a clear discrepancy between their statistics. Cristiano Ronaldo is also Real Madrid’s all-time top goal scorer and is continuing his journey with Al-Nassr at the age of 39. 

Cassano keeps unabatedly expressing his opinions on Portugal's all-time top scorer.

Still, Cassano has expressed his emotions clearly about Portugal's all-time greatest goal scorer. “Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't know how to play football,” he told the Viva El Futbol podcast. “He could score 3,000 goals, I don't give a f***.”

He added: "[Gonzalo] Higuain, [Sergio] Aguero, [Karim] Benzema, [Robert] Lewandowski, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and [Luis] Suarez knew how to link-up with the team.

“They knew how to do a lot of things, unlike Ronaldo whose only objective has always been to score.”

Cristiano Ronaldo has demonstrated his versatility, transitioning from dominating the wings of the English Premier League with Manchester United to dominating Europe with Real Madrid and then unfazed of proving his legacy, went to Italy and dominated the pitch with Juventus. At the age of 36 and 37 he attempted a second stint with Manchester United and became the club’s best player in his first season before leaving the club after mutual consent. 

Now, turning 40 in a few months, Cristiano Ronaldo is at his level best despite being in the last stage of his career. He is a key player for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, scoring almost every week.