Cristiano Ronaldo: I’m the best player in the world: Does not whisper his self-belief. He declares it, calmly and without ornament. In his own estimation, he stands atop the footballing world, shoulder to shoulder with the immortals who shaped the game’s mythology.
- Diego Maradona: Obituary – Argentina’s flawed football icon
- ‘Picasso’ of football Robertson dies aged 72
Speaking to the BBC ahead of the release of his documentary film, Ronaldo reflected on a career that has climbed so steeply it now resembles a plateau. Improvement, he suggested, has become an unforgiving pursuit. Not because of complacency, but because the summit allows little upward movement.
At 30, the Portuguese forward already carried the credentials most players only dream about. Three Ballon d’Or titles. Real Madrid’s most prolific goalscorer in history. A personal archive of moments etched into modern football folklore.
“I don’t need to announce myself as a legend,” Ronaldo said, with a composure that bordered on indifference. “The numbers do the talking.”
Those numbers are hard to dispute. Since arriving at Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009 for a then-world-record £80 million, Ronaldo has transformed consistency into an art form. Over the last eight years, he believes his performances have reached something close to the extraordinary, a level he now aims to preserve rather than chase.
His ambition stretches further still. Five or six more seasons, he hopes, with the same sharpness, the same hunger. At the time of the interview, his career tally stood at 504 goals from 760 appearances, a statistic that reads less like sport and more like exaggeration.
“To improve now is extremely difficult,” he admitted. “Maintaining this level is the hardest task for any footballer.”
That resolve has helped him become the Champions League’s leading scorer, a record punctuated by 82 goals against Europe’s elite. And yet, beyond the trophies and tallies, Ronaldo’s confidence remains absolute.
“In my mind, I’m always the best,” he said. “Not just this year. Always. What people say doesn’t change that.”
Inevitably, comparisons arise. Lionel Messi, Barcelona’s talisman and Argentina’s virtuoso, looms as the eternal counterpoint. Four-time world player of the year. Hundreds of club goals. A different style, a different rhythm.
Ronaldo dismissed the debate with pragmatic simplicity. Opinions, he said, are personal currency. Respectable, but irrelevant. In his own mental ledger, he remains ahead. End of discussion.
His journey to this rarefied status began long before Madrid’s floodlights. In 2003, Manchester United prised him from Sporting Lisbon for £12.2 million. Over six seasons at Old Trafford, he struck 118 goals in 292 appearances, evolving from a mercurial winger into a decisive force.
Madrid, however, became his true theatre. By the time of the interview, he had scored 326 goals in 314 matches, a ratio bordering on the absurd.
While Ronaldo flourished in Spain, his former club endured turbulence. Manchester United have not mounted a genuine Premier League title challenge since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. Under Louis van Gaal, results and playing style alike drew criticism.
Asked whether it saddened him to see United diminished, Ronaldo did not hide his affection.
“It’s hard,” he said. “I love that club. I want to see them where they were before.” He drew parallels with Sporting Lisbon, his first professional home, explaining that he wants all the clubs he cherishes to thrive. Progress, he acknowledged, had been made, but the standards of six or seven years earlier remained distant.
Speculation about a return to Old Trafford persists, but Ronaldo remained elusive. The future, he repeated, is unknowable terrain. For now, he is content in Madrid, under contract and at peace with his present.
The documentary, Ronaldo, released on Monday, offers a window into his life beyond the pitch. Asked what it feels like to exist as a global footballing icon, his answer balanced gratitude with realism.
“It’s great,” he said, “but it’s not easy.” The attention, the scrutiny, the expectations they are relentless. Still, he does not complain. He believes the fascination surrounding him stems from one simple truth: his excellence on the field. Motivation, professionalism, and an unyielding work ethic continue to define his days.
Ronaldo also reflected on Jose Mourinho, under whom he played for three seasons at Real Madrid. With Mourinho facing pressure at Chelsea after a troubled start to the campaign, Ronaldo expressed neither shock nor doubt.
“In football, anything can happen,” he said. He spoke warmly of Mourinho’s ability and extended his support not only as a former player, but as a compatriot. He hopes the manager can navigate the storm, restore Chelsea’s fortunes, and reward supporters who, in his words, deserve happiness.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, certainty is rare in football’s shifting landscape. Yet one conviction remains immovable. In his own mind, he has already written his place in history. The rest, as he insists, is merely arithmetic.
