Antonio Cassano likened Cristiano Ronaldo to Rafael Nadal and Lionel Messi to Roger Federer as the former Real Madrid forward praised the two football superstars. Ronaldo and Messi have dominated the sport over the past decade, splitting the last 10 Ballons d’Or as former players, pundits and fans debate the pair’s standing among the best ever. And after Ronaldo swapped European champions Real Madrid for Italian giants Juventus in a sensational €112million transfer completed this week, Cassano used tennis greats Nadal and Federer to compare the 33-year-old Portugal captain and Barcelona icon Messi.
Forza Juve! #FinoAllaFine pic.twitter.com/bBZ5VWdEWX
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) July 16, 2018
“I love Messi not as a counter-point to Cristiano, but because in my view he’s the best of all time and the emotions he gives me are unique,” former Italy international Cassano told Vanity Fair.
“If I have to rationalise it or convince you, I ask you to find me someone else who handles the ball and scores so consistently as Messi.
“Cristiano lacks nothing, let’s be clear, but that’s not the point. I love tennis. Now, Cristiano is like Nadal, a fantastic athlete built on talent, but also hard work and desire.
“Messi is more like Federer. He is pure artistry and class. They are different, and you can prefer one to the other. I am with Messi, as he can make the difference even when standing still, he almost doesn’t need physical fitness.”
“I also named my second child after Lionel,” Cassano added.