Manchester United icon Cristiano Ronaldo previously named his biggest idol in football, after an old video resurfaced from the early days of his professional career - with the Portuguese legend surprisingly naming Argentina hall-of-famer Diego Maradona as his favourite player to watch when he was younger.
Maradona was the star player at Napoli when Ronaldo was born, before venturing back to Argentina for the latter years of his career - though clips of his career have been around forever, being the star of 1980's football. And that led Ronaldo to name him as his idol, to the surprise of many with it not being fellow record goalscorer, Pele.
The Portuguese star has striking differences, but they are both some of the world's best-ever players
cristiano ronaldo
There aren't many striking differences between the two. Owing to Ronaldo's long-standing rivalry with Lionel Messi, it's odd to see the Portuguese hero admit that his idol was the diminutive Argentine icon - especially given that Maradona was just 5ft 5in, and also played for Real Madrid's El Clasico rivals Barcelona, as well as Napoli - who are somewhat rivals with his former club Juventus.
Cristiano Ronaldo's career statistics - record by club
Club
Real Madrid
Manchester United
Juventus
Al-Nassr
Sporting
Ronaldo, by contrast, featured heavily for Real Madrid with 311 league goals in just 292 La Liga games, as well as a superb start to his career at United and an equally impressive spell with Juventus, before ending his career in the Middle East with Al-Nassr.
But despite the vast differences, old footage of Ronaldo at an awards ceremony has emerged - with Red Devils legend Sir Alex Ferguson in attendance - naming Maradona as his idol. He said:
"Well, I like to watch myself... I sometimes watch replays of games, and I like to watch myself! I joke, I like to watch [Diego] Maradona. I remember when I was a kid, I looked out for him every time, and he is my idol."
Ronaldo is known for his goalscoring, becoming the all-time top goalscorer in footballing history in terms of official goals, as well as boasting the most goals and assists in the Champions League, the most international appearances and international goals and more.
Keen on prolonging his career for as long as possible, Ronaldo could continue to play for a number of seasons, having kept in top condition throughout his twilight years - whilst Maradona's health issues off the pitch somewhat curtailed his outstanding career early, especially after a 15-month ban from football after failing a drug test.
But one thing that is undeniable is their capability to mesmerise fans across the world. Maradona was one of the world's first global superstars, having burst onto the scene as the world's best in the 1986 World Cup, becoming a Barcelona icon and being Napoli's greatest ever player, with their stadium being named after him. Ronaldo's influence is equally big, being one of Manchester United's greatest-ever players, one of Real Madrid's best-ever, if not the best - and without doubt the greatest-ever in terms of national team influence.
There will likely always be an acknowledgement that the duo are in the top five footballers of all-time, with some ranking Ronaldo high and others having a preference for Maradona - though it's still somewhat bizarre to see the 40-year-old attacker naming Maradona as his idol, given the difference in playing style, club rivals and career path.
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 01-07-25.
Cristiano-Ronaldo-Al-Nassr Related
Cristiano Ronaldo makes management prediction after signing new contract at Al-Nassr
Following his new record-breaking contract at Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he still has no plans to move into coaching when he retires. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has committed himself to two more years in the Middle East and will be 42 by the time that agreement comes to a close. There has already been plenty of speculation regarding what the Portugal captain will do once his playing days are over, with some suggesting that he could move into management. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star has, however, ruled out stepping into the dugout any time soon. He said: “Being a coach? Right now, I can say I will never be one, although ‘never’ is a strong word. The reality is that it’s not in my plans in five, 10, or even 20 years. But as we know, life is full of surprises.”
Sign up to The GIVEMESPORT Reportto get exclusive daily updates from Fabrizio Romano, Ben Jacobs, Dean Jones and Tom Bogert sent straight to your inbox.