Safe to say he’s not exactly a big fan of Ronaldo’s...
Cristiano Ronaldo — inarguably one of the greatest soccer players of all time — recently became the only player in history to score 900 goals. He's a living legend.
This incredible milestone, along with his legendary résume for both club and country, however, isn’t enough to win over everyone’s high praise. Well, perhaps everyone but Cassano’s.
Antonio Cassano, former Italian striker, has recently gone viral after making some bold statements about Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming the Portuguese legend "doesn't know how to player soccer" despite his goal-scoring abilities.
Antonio Cassano: "Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't know how to play football!"
The former Italian international, now regularly appearing as a pundit where his controversial opinions often spark debate, took aim at Ronaldo, making heavy remarks on the Italian podcast Viva el Futbol.
“Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t know how to play football,” he said. “He could score 3,000 goals, I don’t give a f***.”
Cassano went on to praise forwards like Gonzalo Higuaín, Sergio Agüero, Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Luis Suárez for their ability to link up with the team, something he claims Ronaldo lacks: “Ronaldo’s only objective has always been to score.”
The Italian spent two years at Real Madrid between 2006 and 2008 and netted just four goals for the Merengues — a stint that is largely remembered for fans and the media’s criticism over Cassano’s weight and physique.
This isn’t the first time Cassano has criticized the Portuguese star, though.
In 2022, during Ronaldo’s second stint at Manchester United, Cassano suggested it was time for him to retire.
“A guy like Cristiano has to think about himself, and if you can’t do it anymore, you have to call it a day. He’s won everything, been a phenomenon, earned a lot of money… and now he’s not even a starter at Manchester United," said Cassano.
Cassano himself retired in 2018 after leaving Verona, unable to find a new club. During his career, he won a LaLiga title with Real Madrid in 2007 and a Serie A title with AC Milan in 2010. He earned 39 caps for Italy, scoring 10 goals, and played for clubs including Bari, Roma, Sampdoria and Parma.
