What makes Brazilian Ronaldo different from Messi and CR7?

For Alessandro Nesta, Ronaldo Nazario was the only player who made him leave the field and wonder if he could have done more to stop his opponent.

"The Alien" Ronaldo remains an icon of world football.

In the endless debate about the greatest player in history, much attention is usually focused on Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. One completed his collection of titles with the 2022 World Cup victory. The other holds a host of world football goalscoring records. However, for Alessandro Nesta, the name that stands above both of these superstars is Ronaldo Nazario.

The statement from the Italian football legend is not simply an expression of admiration for a fellow player. It's the perspective of one of the best central defenders of his generation, someone who has directly faced some of the world's best strikers for over two decades.

It's noteworthy that Nesta didn't say that Brazilian Ronaldo was better than Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo because of titles or goals. He referred to a feeling very rare in top-level football: helplessness.

After the 1998 UEFA Cup final between Lazio and Inter Milan, Nesta returned to the dressing room and wondered if he could have done any better. The answer he found was no. That's what makes Nesta's comment so special.

In football, defenders always have ways to deal with excellent forwards. They can restrict the opponent's playing space, use covering tactics, or simply accept tactical fouls. Even the greatest players can be neutralized on a bad day.

But Ronaldo Nazario in the late 1990s seemed to defy all conventional rules.

What makes Ronaldo so formidable isn't just his speed or technique. Football has produced many players who possess one of those qualities. The difference lies in the way he combines them all within a single body.

Ronaldo de Lima is considered to be of a higher caliber than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo possesses the speed of a winger, the strength of a center forward, and the technique of a South American number 10. He can outpace defenders with bursts of speed spanning tens of meters, but he is also skillful enough to handle the ball in tight spaces.

For center-backs, it's a real nightmare.

If they drop deep, Ronaldo will accelerate past them. If they press, he can use his technique to eliminate opponents with just one touch of the ball. Even if they manage to stop the initial dribble, defenders still face the Brazilian striker's almost perfect finishing ability.

Nesta faced many great strikers throughout his career, from Gabriel Batistuta and Andriy Shevchenko to Thierry Henry. But Ronaldo was a different case.

What happened in the 1998 UEFA Cup final is the clearest example. At that time, Nesta was only 22 years old and in the prime of his career. He was not a defender past his prime like when he faced Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo many years later.

Therefore, Nesta's comments carry even more weight. He wasn't offering praise based on memories that had faded with time. He vividly remembers the feeling of facing Ronaldo when he was at his best.

Nesta admitted that he felt truly "powerless" when facing "The Alien" Ronaldo.

Interestingly, many other top defenders have also shared similar opinions. In the eyes of those who directly faced him, Ronaldo Nazario was often described as the most complete forward they had ever encountered.

Serious knee injuries subsequently prevented Ronaldo's career from lasting as long at the peak as Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Many believe that without those persistent physical problems, football history might have unfolded differently.

Nevertheless, even that imperfect version was enough to win two Ballon d'Or awards and two World Cup titles.

Perhaps that's why comments like Nesta's still appear years after Ronaldo has retired.

Messi may be the most successful player of the modern generation. Cristiano Ronaldo may be the symbol of perseverance and a thirst for victory. But for defenders who have faced him directly, Ronaldo Nazario remains the benchmark of fear.

And when a great center-back like Nesta has to admit that his abilities aren't enough to stop the opponent, that's perhaps the greatest compliment a striker can receive.

Source: https://znews.vn/dieu-khien-ronaldo-brazil-khac-messi-va-cr7-post1656450.html