Ex-Real star: I had better technique than Ronaldo

Former Real Madrid star Rafael van der Vaart (left) insists that he was more talented than Cristiano Ronaldo.

One of Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammates at Real Madrid now insists he was more gifted than the Portuguese superstar.

In the debate over who is the greatest footballer to have ever graced the pitch, Ronaldo’s name is frequently raised, largely thanks to his imperious goal-scoring record, as well as his club and individual titles.

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One of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s often-mentioned qualities is his incredible dedication and professionalism as an athlete, which has evidently been the driving force behind his longevity and consistency, now aged 40 and still scoring goals in Saudi Arabia for Al Nassr.

One of his former colleagues at Real, Rafael van der Vaart, insists that he was more gifted than Ronaldo in terms of technical ability, although the Portugal international’s way of thinking was the biggest difference between the two.

“Of course, I have to mention Ronaldo because I played for a year at Real Madrid with him,” he said during an interview with TalkSport.

“If you ask me who had the better technique, me or Ronaldo, I would say myself in terms of first touch and passing.

“His way of thinking is the biggest difference.

“He was so fit and so focused on scoring goals and winning things. You see from really close how special he is, how much effort he puts in every day… he was in the gym training two or three times a day, recovering, and then scoring goals.

“When he scored three, he wanted four, so that was a big quality – and he’s still doing it at his age.

“I was not a player like that. I liked to go out, enjoy life… When I scored one goal after ten minutes, I thought, okay, we’ve had a good game, and I can just enjoy it now.