Rafael Nadal names favourite footballer and its NOT Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi

When he's not decimating opponents on the court, it is well known that Rafael Nadal loves to spend his time off, watching football or on the golf course. The 20-time Grand slam champion is an ardent fan of 34-time LaLiga champions, Real Marid - perhaps the one team that can boast of a record good enough to rival what Nadal has achieved, individually, in his sport. In a recent interview, Rafa revealed who his football idol was, and should come as no surprise to anyone, that his football idol is one of the GOATs of the La Casa Blanca. 

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Rafael Nadal's favourite footballer revealed

During his interview as the face of the December edition of 'Celebrity' magazine, Rafael Nadal talked about his story, his love for his hometown of Mallorca and the impact that COVID-19 has had on the tennis world. "The only positive thing about the Lockdown was that it stopped the cases of contagion. But I don't think the stop itself has helped anyone, especially in the tennis world" he said. Referring to his own experience under quarantine, Rafa said that while "In the end, we were able to work correctly, avoiding injuries and adapting to needs" he "had to do a lot of training to recover not only my physical condition but also my way of playing" before the Rome Masters. 

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While host of youngsters have grown up with the 'Bull' as their tennis idol, Rafa's own tastes lean towards the far less animated, yet equally brilliant Swede, Bjorn Borg. Speaking about the one player from history that he would have liked play, Rafa replied, "I would have loved to face Bjorn Borg. I always had the feeling that he was unbeatable, he was a tennis titan. Obviously, we are talking about a totally different historical period, but I would have liked to play him". From one GOAT to another, Rafa's tastes in football also tend towards the historically legendary instead of the current crop of players. 

When asked to choose between Leo and CR7, Rafa chose to pic Ronaldo. "Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the best nowadays, but for me the best of all is Brazilian Ronaldo Luiz Nazario da Lima. I met him when my uncle [Miguel Angel Nadal] was playing for Barcelona and I can say he was fantastic, he is a wonderful guy" Rafa explained. Ronaldo - Luís Nazário de Lima - is considered one of the greatest players of the game had the best years of his career at Real Madrid. 

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Rafael Nadal in 2020

Just like the Real Madrid team, Rafa went through a difficult period last season but fought his way to a record 13th title at Roland Garros - equalling Federer's 20 Slams. Despite this, the Spaniard ended the year just short of the No.1 position. He has confirmed that he will be back in 2021, starting at the Australian Open in February. 

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Image Credits: Rafael Nadal Academy Twitter