• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Xavi Was Furious When Cristiano Ronaldo Labelled Himself The GOAT

Home> Football

Updated 11:07 26 Sep 2022 GMT+1Published 11:04 26 Sep 2022 GMT+1

Xavi Was Furious When Cristiano Ronaldo Labelled Himself The GOAT

The Barcelona manager wasn't pleased.

Dom Smith

Dom Smith

Back in 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo announced to the world that he was the best player the world had ever seen. Xavi did not agree, and said so publicly.

Shortly after his fifth Ballon d'Or success, the then-Real Madrid talisman told France Football: "I don't see anyone better than me. No player does things that I cannot do myself, but I see things others can't do."

"There's no more complete player than me," he declared. "I'm the best player in history - in the good and the bad moments."

Advert

This seemed like Ronaldo out-Ronaldo-ing himself. His immense self-confidence has so often been the deciding factor in the biggest and best moments of his career. But this was an incredible claim from the 37-year-old.

Image
Alamy

Xavi was naturally always going to sit in a different camp.

The former Spain ace spent well over a decade watching Lionel Messi's mastery at work. He felt he needed to offer a counter view.

Advert

Speaking to Tot Costa de Catalunya Ràdio, Xavi said: "Messi does more things compared to Cristiano.

"If Cristiano considers himself the best player in history, that's fine, but those of us who see him train, there is no comparison," he added. "Messi is the best in history, and we don't see it any other way."

The current Barcelona manager felt Messi's quality always comes to the fore - in a way perhaps Ronaldo's doesn't always.

"I imagine all of the managers in the world going out to stop Messi," Xavi continued.

Advert

Image
Alamy

"Even if you do what Athletic Club did, man-mark him like in the Copa del Rey final, they still come out on top. He can't be defended against.

"Messi is the difference-maker and we always tried to give the ball to him in space with time to unbalance them.

"Messi is the player that makes the most difference in the world. It's more than obvious."

Advert

The Messi versus Ronaldo will no doubt run on and on, maybe forever. But this was an extraordinary twist in the narrative. 'Self-confident' doesn't even seem to do Ronaldo's comments justice. This was just good old-fashioned hubris... and Xavi didn't seem to like it one bit.

SPORTbible Stories is the brand-new podcast from the SPORT team at LADbible. The latest episode features a chat with WWE legend Triple H who opens up on his long in-ring career, his rivalry with The Rock during WWE's Attitude Era and Logan Paul's fledgling wrestling career. You can watch the episode here.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi

Dom Smith
Dom Smith

Football writer specialising in the England national teams and the Premier League. Founder of EnglandFootball.org. Words in The Independent, Sunday Express, Sunday Mirror, Daily Star & more

X

@MrDomSmith

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

10 hours ago
11 hours ago
15 hours ago
  • 10 hours ago

    Erik ten Hag to get rid of Bayer Leverkusen player for the second time after selling him to the club while in charge of Man Utd

    Former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag looks poised to get rid of the same player for two different clubs.

    Football
  • 11 hours ago

    Fans lose their minds and say 'announce Yamal' after Barcelona superstar spotted in Premier League club's shirt

    Lamine Yamal sent fans wild this week after being seen in an iconic English football shirt.

    Football
  • 11 hours ago

    Sir Alex Ferguson ripped into former Man Utd star for what he allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to do

    Sir Alex Ferguson lectured the former Manchester United player following the incident with Cristiano Ronaldo.

    Football
  • 15 hours ago

    Football legend reveals he was on the verge of signing for Man Utd after idolising Old Trafford star for years

    The player represented the likes of Barcelona, Inter and AC Milan during his career but never got the chance to play for Manchester United.

    Football
  • Lionel Messi's record at 38 compared to Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age speaks volumes
  • Neymar didn't hesitate when asked to rank himself, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the GOAT debate
  • Diego Maradona snubbed Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi when settling the GOAT debate
  • Zinedine Zidane didn't hesitate when choosing between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the GOAT debate