Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t undefeated like boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather, but upon winning his fifth Ballon d’Or (to equal the total won by Lionel Messi), Ronaldo claimed a similar greatness. Comparing himself to Mayweather and LeBron James, Ronaldo sought to write his own history in an interview with France Football. Rather than let posterity decide, Ronaldo put both of his brilliant feet on the accelerator saying: “I am the best player in history.”
Ronaldo said: “I respect everyone’s preferences, but I’ve never seen anyone better than me. I have always thought that. No footballer can do the things I can. There’s no player more complete than me. I play well with both feet, I’m quick, powerful, good with the head, I score goals, I make assists. Some people prefer Neymar or Messi. But I tell you: there’s no-one more complete than me. ” (Notably, Ronaldo is only mentioning his contemporaries here, even with the “best player in history” boast.) Ronaldo continued comparing himself to two of the best known athletes in the world — notably two athletes whose career longevity is part of what sets them apart: “Legends like Floyd Mayweather and LeBron James don’t get to their perfect level by chance. Many factors coincide. To be at the top and to stay there, you have to have more talent than the others.“