Cristiano Ronaldo Slammed by Former Real Madrid Star: "Doesn’t Know How to Play Football"
One of the most remarkable critiques of Cristiano Ronaldo’s ability to play football has just been made by former Italian international, Antonio Cassano. The 42-year-old, who played for Roma, Real Madrid, and AC Milan during an 18-year career, has never been shy when it comes to speaking about the Portuguese superstar.
Recently, Cassano appeared on the Viva El Futbol podcast, where he dropped a bombshell comment about Ronaldo’s playing ability. "Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t know how to play football," the former Inter striker stated with conviction. "He only cares about scoring goals for himself."
Cassano’s criticism is not an isolated incident. He had previously described Ronaldo as "selfish" in an interview with Christian Vieri’s Twitch channel. According to Cassano, this self-centered approach to the game is what sets Ronaldo apart from other great players, like Lionel Messi, whose sacrifices and teamwork on and off the pitch are paramount.
The Italian legend based his assessment on his playing experience alongside some of the world’s best players during his career. "My teammates, like Higuain, Aguero, Benzema, Lewandowski, Ibrahimovic, and Suarez, knew how to link up with the team," Cassano explained. "They knew how to do a lot of things, unlike Ronaldo, who only cares about scoring for himself."
Cassano further elaborated on his assertion, stating that Ronaldo lacks the ability to adapt and evolve as a player, relying solely on his lightning-quick speed and explosive power. "Ronaldo has never been good at playing with others. He’s always been ‘me, me, me’," Cassano claimed. "He doesn’t make sacrifices for the team or understand the importance of tactical awareness."
Ronaldo, who has won multiple Ballon d’Or awards and has consistently dominated at the highest level, must be feeling the sting from Cassano’s comments, especially considering the former Milan striker’s experience playing against him during his time with Real Madrid.
According to Cassano, Ronaldo attempted to reach out to him after his initial comments were made, but the attempt was met with defiance by the Italian. "I called Buffon, who confirmed that he gave me his number to the Real Madrid press officer, and Ronaldo sent me a message," Cassano revealed on Vieri’s Twitch channel. "He told me to have respect for the trophies he’s won and the goals he’s scored. I’m not one to back down from conflict, and I responded firmly, telling him to keep his trophies and goals as he’s earned them with his hard work."
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