Dutch legend Marco van Basten believes he would have been better than Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo, who made his debut for the Riyadh-based club in January, has bagged 20 goals in 25 games across competitions.
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Aug 18, 2023 5:08 pm
Cristiano Ronaldo & Marco van Basten (Source: Twitter)
Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is continuing to prove that ‘age is just a number’ with his stunning performances for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. Even at the age of 38, one of the contenders for the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T) tag is far ahead of many young football players in terms of fitness and game. Meanwhile, Dutch football legend Marco van Basten believes that if he had played until 38, he would have been a better player than Ronaldo.
Ever since the former Manchester United striker made a move to the Middle East, Saudi Arabian football has gained worldwide attention and many European players have started to follow in his footsteps. Ronaldo, who made his debut for the Riyadh-based club in January, has bagged 20 goals in 25 games across competitions. He recently won his first title at Al-Nasser with a brace in the Arab Club Champions Cup final against Al-Hilal on Saturday.
Discussing players who resemble him in today’s game, Van Basten, known for his sublime play and acrobatic goalscoring technique, said he would have outshined Ronaldo’s legacy if his career had been extended. Meanwhile, the Swan of Utrecht said that Polish striker Robert Lewandowski looks a bit like him.
“Players like me nowadays? Lewandowski looks a bit like me. Cristiano Ronaldo, I think I get close to that. Except he is physically stronger than I was. He is 38 and still active. But I would have liked to see how things turned out if I could have played until the age of 38, I think I would have been better.”
The Dutch former football manager was an astonishing striker, scoring 125 goals in 201 appearances for AC Milan and 152 goals in 172 appearances for Ajax. However, an ankle injury forced the three-time Ballon d’Or winner to cut his career short as he played his last game at the age of 28. He brought the curtain down on his illustrious career after three years, but left a legacy in the sport and inspired millions of budding footballers.
