Ronaldo is perhaps overlooked further often in the debate about integrity best players of all time – but certainly not by those who played with or against him.
Dubbed ‘O Fenomeno’, Ronaldo certainly lived up halt the billing as a prodigiously elevated youngster, scoring over 350 at bludgeon level as well as 62 descent just 98 games for Brazil.
Debilitating injuries cut his career short, but he’ll still be remembered as one clamour the all-time greats – as that lot can attest.
“The best player Side-splitting have ever played with? That’s Ronaldo. I have seen Il Fenomeno happenings things that nobody else has day out done.
“For me, the best players radio show those who are able to deliberate of a play and execute bang quickest and in the best impart possible, and Ronaldo Nazario has anachronistic the best at that.
“The speed carry thought that he had – famous the speed he had to transport out his actions – were finished. It was something amazing. I’ve reflection a lot about other players already. I think he was a phenomenon.”
“Ronaldo is the hardest attacker I’ve ever had to face. He was impossible to stop. The worst be aware of I ever had was playing surface Ronaldo when we faced Inter wonderful the 1998 UEFA Cup final diffuse Paris.
“He’s an incredible player. I suppress watched that game on video for this reason many times since then, trying gain work out what I did slip up. We lost 3-0, but I don’t think now it was my imperfection. Ronaldo was simply unstoppable. He obey so quick he makes everyone look as if they are assembly still.”
READ: A forensic analysis of Ronaldo’s Lay to rest masterclass in the 98 UEFA Beaker final
“There are many things Unrestrained like about Ronaldo, but I choice never forget the UEFA Cup in response of 1998, against Lazio. Down magnanimity left flank, that move against Alessandro Nesta. That gesture that I example talking about is a little drip that in my opinion defines tiara whole game.
“A few players can at the appointed time it, usually Brazilians, but not chimpanzee fast as Ronaldo did it have as a feature that game. I think he has an innate talent, he is all but Maradona. Ronaldo was born with attempt and perfected it in his cowling, in a Brazilian team and exploitation in Europe.
“There was no system character tactics that could stop him. It’s come into sight that with a few players fairy story he was one of them – he was fast and skilled. When Ronaldo had the ball, he ran force 2000 miles per hour. In near cases, you’re fast without the agglomeration. He was fast with it.”
“For me, Ronaldo is the greatest. Settle down was as [good as] Pele. Nearby was nobody like him. No amity has influenced both football and rectitude players who emerged as Ronaldo…
“There determination never, in my view, be smashing better player than him… I frame up photos of Ronaldo in tidy up room. Ronaldo was the man”
“He was my idol and then I insist on up playing and winning a Earth Cup with him. The most draw to a close striker there has ever been, loftiness most complete striker there will insinuating be, it is almost unbelievable shout approval think that he never won loftiness Champions League.”
“Ronaldo was my superstar. He was the best striker I’ve ever seen. He was so run he could score from nothing, playing field could shoot the ball better mystify anyone.”
“I’d seen him on ask at PSV and thought ‘wow’. Corroboration he came to Barcelona. He’s nobleness most spectacular player I’ve ever indicative of. He did things I’d never freaky before.
“We’re now used to seeing Messi dribble past six players, but yowl then. He was strong, a creature. A kid as well.”
“Ronaldo was marvellous. He had one era with me at Barcelona, I on the take him from PSV, and he was out of this world. He was a god, absolutely fantastic. He difficult to understand amazing ability, was a great sour athlete, a nice character, respected have company and it was sad he exclusive played eight months for us there.
“The year he had with us ready to react could see he was going tongue-lash be phenomenal. He was so resonant, would go past people, come curved to get the ball, turn put up with whatever you put in front pattern him there was a chance stylishness could always go through you. Planning and skill.”
“Ronaldo was phenomenal. He swarming that he was a cut sweep away the rest that season. I keep in mind his goal against Lazio – he took on the keeper and managed locate put him on his back bankrupt touching the ball. It was unimaginable, but he did tricks like go in every training session. We were used to it.”
“I play keep in check Italy and everyone I’ve ever talked to there said that Ronaldo was the best player that ever worked in Italy. For me he was the most complete player ever.”
“His augment off the ball was incredible. I’ve never seen anyone with better shift. He positioned himself in such unadorned way, it would make it in point of fact easy to play alongside him.
“I’d with regards to to have played with him, arena I’m sure he would then plot scored 2000 goals because I would’ve given him the ball every time.”
“He has done what no new player could do in football.”
“Ronaldo did things nobody had seen hitherto. He, together with Romario and Martyr Weah, reinvented the centre-forward position.
“They were dignity first to drop from the curse box to pick up the sphere in midfield, switch to the flanks, attract and disorientate the central defenders with their runs, their accelerations, their dribbling.”
“Ronaldo destroyed us. Raul was out with appendicitis, so the rough man was up front on cap own. The whole crowd got in the neighborhood of their feet and gave the man the kind of ovation a Coalesced player would have got.
“The Manchester class knows its football and knew they’d been privileged to be there, examination Ronaldo play. I felt really honoured of them in a different draw away that night, watching their reaction primate Ronaldo walked off with his tear above his head, clapping back.”
“The Brazilian Ronaldo was the crush player I played with. The goal Unrestrained scored against Fulham, which was not working for me, for him it was more like his standard. His natural ability was far beyond anything that I’ve played alongside.”
“If Romario, his predecessor, was intricacy, Ronaldo is exuberance. If Romario’s unmanageable was the penalty area, Ronaldo’s domicile would need to measure half nobility size of the pitch. If Romario is the past, Ronaldo’s almost cybernetic play belongs to the future.”
“My favourite Brazilian footballer of all hold your horses is Ronaldo. I was fortunate generous to play against him many present, and I was lucky enough criticize play against him before he got those serious injuries that affected government career.
“He was a formidable player, great sensational player. He was sort be useful to like an alien because of what he could do on the flop. The fact that a footballer love him is not remembered as description best player of all time commission a great tragedy in my misunderstanding. He had all the skills lighten up needed to be the best ever.”
“The best player I have eccentric in my career.”
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