FC Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez has admitted that he has massive respect for Cristiano Ronaldo, but believes the Portuguese’s main problem is that he plays in the same era as Lionel Messi.
For some time now, the two superstars have been the centre of attention in the debate over who the best player in the world is, but Xavi believes Ronaldo would get a lot more credit for his achievements if Messi was not around at the same time.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is a born scorer, a spectacular footballer,” he told A Bola TV.
“The problem is that there is Messi, who, for me, is the best player in history.
“That is the only problem that Cristiano Ronaldo has, but he is a player who scores and continues to mark an era.”
The Portugal captain will be in action in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, when Real Madrid take on city rivals Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the competition.