Cristiano Ronaldo being one of the most prominent footballer in the sports history has received a surprising mention from former teammate Rafael van der Vaart.
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In an exclusive interview with talksport on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, Rafael was asked, who was the best player he played with in his stunning career of 18 years.
The 42-year-old named dropped the Portuguese player without any hesitation, as he said, "Of course I have to mention Ronaldo because I played for a year at Real Madrid with him.'
Along with No. 7 praises, Rafael made an unexpected comparison between Ronaldo and himself noting, "If you ask me who had the better technique, me or Ronaldo, I would say myself in terms of first touch and passing."
However, he quickly revealed what sets the five-time Ballon d'Or award winner apart from his fellow peers, noting, "His way of thinking is the biggest difference."
While discussing the the 40-year-old's mentality and physics, he admitted, "He was so fit and so focused on scoring goals and winning things, you see from really close how special he is, how much effort he puts in every day."
Both the player played together at Real Madrid during 2009-10, which was CR7's first year in Spain after transferring from Manchester United.
"When he scored three, he wanted four, so that was a big quality - and he's still doing it at his age," he explained referring to Ronaldo playing for Al Nassr, despite having a remarkable career.
Read More: Cristiano Ronaldo misses AFC Champions League in Iran amid security concerns
Notably, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 25 goals in 30 games for Saudi football club, and is set to return to the field on March 7, 2025 against Al-Shabab in the Saudi Pro League.
