Known as a long-time fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele again heaped praises on the 35-year-old star, impressed by the Juventus striker's second title wins in as many years with the Italian giants. The Brazilian legend appeared in awe that Ronaldo continues to be a dominant force in football and proving that age is but a number.
The Portuguese found the net 31 times so far in the domestic competition, paving the way for his Serie A title No. 2. He now boasts of title wins in three different top-flight leagues in Europe, having played in the Premier League and La Liga and capturing the crowns at stake there.
Ronaldo is also a five-time winner of the Ballon d'Or and according to Pele, the prolific goalscorer is the personification of success in his field.
"Cristiano is the modern athlete, who shows everyone that success always comes to those who are dedicated and love what they do," Goal reported Pele as saying.
The Brazilian icon has always been generous on praising Ronaldo. In recent months, Pele declared that the striker, who also shone with Manchester United and Real Madrid in the past, is easily the greatest footballer of all time.
The World Cup winner picked Ronaldo over Lionel Messi, insisting that the power displayed by the Portuguese in all the games he played can easily overwhelm the magical moves associated with the Argentine star.
Pele also favors Ronaldo as the football GOAT because of the forward's consistent performance, which the Brazilian icon said is common to great strikers like Ronaldo.
The football great conceded that Messi is not far behind but noted that the Barcelona superstar is at a disadvantage because the Argentine "is not a striker."
With the Serie A already wrapped up, Ronaldo's sight is now set on the Champions League. If he can lead the Turin giants to the finals and win the title, it will be No. 6 for him and the victory will only support Pele's assertion that he is the best on the planet at the moment.
In any case, Jesse Lingard has agreed that Ronaldo is the greatest in the game that he also plays. The United star said the Portuguese is the Michael Jordan of football.
The retired NBA superstar, who dominated the league in the 1980s and 1990s and won six NBA championships and five MVPs, is widely considered as the basketball GOAT.
"I have to say Cristiano Ronaldo ... Everything he has achieved in his career. He has been at plenty of clubs and won many trophies. I believe he is a real icon of football, the Michael Jordan of football," Lingard told Sky Sports.
The United man recalled an encounter with Ronaldo, in which the superstar displayed the skills and qualities that brought him enormous success.
