Former Real Madrid Star Slams Ronaldo: ‘Doesn’t Know How To Play Football’
by by Isaac Darko · YEN.com.gh News · Join- Legendary Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player in the history of football to have notched 900 goals
- However, a former Real Madrid forward has delivered a harsh criticism, saying CR7 doesn't know how to play football
- Antonion Cassano netted four times in 28 appearances for Real Madrid, compared to Ronaldo's 450 goals in 438 games
Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo has faced accusations of lacking fundamental football skills.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner recently made history by becoming the first player ever to score 900 goals for both club and country.
Source: Getty Images
However, former Real Madrid forward Antonio Cassano believes this achievement holds little significance.
Cassano, who played for the White Angels from 2006 to 2008, made this controversial statement while appearing on the Viva El Futbol podcast, via Tribuna.
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The 39-cap Italian international remarked:
"Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't know how to play football. He could score 3,000 goals, and I wouldn't care."
He further emphasised:
"Players like [Gonzalo] Higuain, [Sergio] Aguero, [Karim] Benzema, [Robert] Lewandowski, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, and [Luis] Suarez understood how to connect with their teammates."
This isn't the first time Cassano has expressed criticism of the Al-Nassr star.
Back in 2022, he suggested that Ronaldo should retire due to his lack of playing time at Manchester United.
"A player like Cristiano needs to consider his own situation, and if he can’t perform anymore, then it’s time to step away. It's a standard in all sports—just retire, it’s enough! He has achieved everything, been a phenomenal player, and made a fortune, yet he’s not a starter at Manchester United now."
Comparing Cassano and Ronaldo's feat at Madrid
Cassano scored four goals in 28 appearances for Madrid, while Ronaldo netted an impressive 450 goals in 438 matches, per Transfermarkt.
During his tenure in Spain, CR7 became the quickest player to reach 100 goals for a single club, achieving the milestone in just 105 games - a record only matched by Erling Haaland after he scored against Arsenal on Sunday.
Cassano later played for AC Milan and Inter Milan, but the peak of his career was with AS Roma from 2001 to 2006, which ultimately led to his transfer to Real Madrid.
Cassano's achievements
Cassano hung up his boots in 2018 after a year without a club, concluding his career with a tally of 139 goals in club football and 10 goals for the Italian national team, including three scored during the European Championships, per Transfermarkt.
Throughout his career, he secured titles including La Liga, Serie A, and two Italian Super Cups, while representing clubs such as Bari, Sampdoria, Parma, and Hellas Verona.
In 2001, at just 19 years old, he joined Roma for a then-record transfer fee of €30 million, making it the highest transfer fee ever paid for a teenager at that time.
Bale picks between Ronaldo and Messi
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Gareth Bale weight in on the long-standing GOAT debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The former Real Madrid star was recently asked to list his top five attackers, and his choice between Messi and CR7 was particularly notable.
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Source: YEN.com.gh