Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo believes “no one will be compared” to him because there are not many who can rival his “talent” or “dedication”, Goal reports.
Ronaldo came through the ranks at Sporting CP before joining Manchester United in 2003, developing into one of the world’s best under Alex Ferguson.
He claimed his first Ballon d’Or while at United in 2008, but he has undoubtedly enjoyed the best years of his career at Real, creating an incredible legacy at the club.
His long personal duel with Lionel Messi has become a hot topic of debate, particularly since moving to LaLiga, where the Portugal star has won everything there is to win with Los Blancos, while he has also collected four more Ballons d’Or.
Although many insist his Barcelona rival Messi is the more naturally gifted of the pair, few doubt Ronaldo’s dedication and work ethic, two elements he believes will help ensure no one is able to be compared to him.
“Friends of mine (would) look at me like: ‘What are you talking about?’ I played for fun, for a joke, but in my mind that potential started in Manchester, that’s when I started to believe.
“I don’t see many people with my talent, dedication, my work, my ethic, my football. No one is going to be compared with me; no one is going to be Cristiano Ronaldo. You’re going to be yourself, I’m going to be myself.”
Last night at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Ronaldo scored four goals against Girona FC in the Spanish football league, to extend his goal tally in the league to 22 goals.
Ronaldo scored once in the first half and three times in the second, reaching 21 goals in his last 11 matches in all competitions. The Portugal star also set up Lucas Vazquez’s goal at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Gareth Bale scored Madrid’s other goal.
Ronaldo has scored at least one goal in his last eight matches. He took his league tally to 22 goals, one more than Barcelona’s Luis Suarez and three behind league top scorer Lionel Messi.
“It’s incredible,” Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez said of Ronaldo. “Again he is showing that he is the best.”
It was the fourth straight win in all competitions for Madrid, which regained third place from Valencia. The defending champions moved within four points of second-place Atletico Madrid, which lost 2-1 at Villarreal earlier Sunday. Madrid remains 15 points behind league leaders Barcelona, which defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at Camp Nou Stadium.
Ronaldo opened the scoring with a left-footed shot from inside the area after a low cross by Toni Kroos in the 11th, added a second with his left foot in the 47th, secured his hat trick from close range in the 64th and closed the scoring from near the penalty spot after another pass by Kroos in injury time. Ronaldo also made the pass for Vazquez’s 59th-minute strike.
Bale’s goal came in the 86th after an assist by Luka Modric.
“It was an entertaining match for the fans, with a lot of goals,” Fernandez said.
Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane rested defender Sergio Ramos, and started the match with Bale, Modric, Isco and Casemiro on the bench.
The result halted Girona’s three-match winning streak. The Catalan club, impressing in its first season in the top flight, remains in seventh place and still with a chance to qualify for the Europa League next season. It trails sixth-place Sevilla by two points and fifth-place Villarreal by four points.
