Both players have scored in two UEFA Champions League finals and have regularly broken the 50 goal barrier in a single season. Sports journalists and pundits regularly argue the individual merits of both players in an attempt to argue who they believe is the best player in modern football.[397] It has been compared to legendary sports rivalries such as the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier rivalry in boxing, the Borg–McEnroe rivalry in tennis, and the Ayrton Senna-Alain Prost rivalry from Formula One motor racing.[398][399]
"It's part of my life now. People are bound to compare us. He tries to do his best for his club and for his national team, as I do, and there is a degree of rivalry with both of us trying to do the best for the teams we represent."
—Cristiano Ronaldo commenting on his rivalry with Messi.[400]
Some commentators choose to analyse the differing physiques and playing styles of the two,[401] while part of the debate revolves around the contrasting personalities of the two players: Ronaldo is sometimes depicted as an arrogant and theatrical showoff, while Messi is portrayed as a shy, humble character.[402][403][404][405]
In a 2012 interview, Ronaldo commented on the rivalry, saying "I think we push each other sometimes in the competition, this is why the competition is so high",[406] while Ronaldo's manager during his time at Manchester United, Alex Ferguson, opined that "I don't think the rivalry against each other bothers them. I think they have their own personal pride in terms of wanting to be the best".[407] Messi himself denied any rivalry, saying that it was "only the media, the press, who wants us to be at loggerheads but I've never fought with Cristiano".[408] Responding to the claims that he and Messi do not get on well on a personal level, Ronaldo commented; "We don't have a relationship outside the world of football, just as we don't with a lot of other players", before adding that in years to come he hopes they can laugh about it together, stating; "We have to look on this rivalry with a positive spirit, because it's a good thing."[400] Representing arch rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two players face each other at least twice every season in the world's biggest club game, El Clásico, which had a global audience of 400 million viewers in March 2014.[409]
In a debate at Oxford Union in October 2013, when asked whether FIFA president Sepp Blatter preferred Messi or Ronaldo, Blatter paid tribute to the work ethic of the Argentine before taking a swipe at Ronaldo, claiming "one of them has more expenses for the hairdresser than the other". Real Madrid demanded – and promptly received – a full apology, and the Portuguese issued his own riposte with a mock-salute celebration after scoring a penalty against Sevilla, after Blatter had described him as a "commander" on the pitch.[410]
In popular culture
Forbes has twice ranked Ronaldo first on their list of the world's highest-paid football players; his combined income from salaries, bonuses and off-field earnings was $73 million in 2013–14 and $79 million in 2014–15.[411][412] The latter earnings saw him listed behind only boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on the magazine's list of The World's Highest-Paid Athletes.[413] In 2016 he became the first footballer to top the Forbes list of highest-earning athletes, with a total income of $88 million from his salary and endorsements in 2015–16.[414] Ronaldo is one of the world's most marketable athletes: SportsPro rated him the fifth most marketable athlete in 2012,[415] and eighth most marketable athlete in 2013, with Brazilian footballer Neymar topping both lists.[415][416] Sports market research company Repucom named Ronaldo the most marketable and most recognized football player in the world in May 2014.[417] He was additionally named in the 2014 Time 100, Time's annual list of the most influential people in the world.[418] In June 2016, ESPN named Ronaldo the world's most famous athlete.[419]
As his reputation rapidly grew from his time at Manchester United, Ronaldo signed many sponsorship deals, including with the U.S. sportswear company Nike.[420][421][422][423] He has worn Nike Mercurial boots his entire career,[424] alternating between the Vapor and Superfly models depending on which is the top-tier Nike boot at the time. Since 2010, Nike have created signature Ronaldo boots, the first being the Superfly II Safari CR7,[425] and the latest, in 2014, the Mercurial Superfly CR7.[426] His other endorsement deals include Coca-Cola, Emporio Armani, Castrol, Banco Espirito Santo, Motorola, Jacob & Co, KFC, Tag Heuer, Fly Emirates, Samsung, Herbalife and Pokerstars.[421][427][428][429][430][431][432] Ronaldo was the face of Konami's video games Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2013.[433] He also features in EA Sports' FIFA video game series as well as the spin-off franchise FIFA Street, appearing in every game since FIFA Football 2004 and on the cover of FIFA Street 2. The former series features Ronaldo's "Thigh Flex" (FIFA 13), "The Bear" (FIFA 14), "Calm Down" (FIFA 14) and "Right Here Right Now" (FIFA 15) celebrations.[434]
Ronaldo has established a strong online presence; the most popular sportsperson on social media, he counted 158 million total followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by June 2015.[435] As of June 2015, he has the world's biggest Facebook fanbase with 103 million followers:[435] he became the first sportsperson to reach 50 million followers in August 2010,[436] and in October 2014, he became the first sportsperson, and the second person after Shakira, to reach 100 million followers.[437] He is also the most-followed athlete on Twitter with 37.8 million followers as of September 2015,[438] and is the most-followed footballer on Instagram with 33.6 million followers as of October 2015.[439] Ronaldo has released two mobile apps: in December 2011, he launched an iPhone game called Heads Up with Cristiano, created by developer RockLive,[440] and in December 2013, he launched Viva Ronaldo, a dedicated social networking website and mobile app.[441] Computer security company McAfee produced a 2012 report ranking footballers by the probability of an internet search for their name leading to an unsafe website, with Ronaldo's name first on the list.[442]
The opening of the Cristiano Ronaldo Museum, "CR7", in Funchal, Madeira, took place on 15 December 2013.
Ronaldo's life and person have been the subject of several works. His autobiography, titled Moments, was published in December 2007.[443] His sponsor Castro produced the television film Ronaldo: Tested to the Limit, in which he is physically and mentally tested in several fields; his physical performance was consequently subject to scrutiny by world media upon the film's release in September 2011.[444] Cristiano Ronaldo: The World at his Feet, a documentary narrated by the actor Benedict Cumberbatch, was released via Vimeo and Vision Films in June 2014.[445] A documentary film about his life and career, titled Ronaldo, was released worldwide on 9 November 2015.[438] Directed by BAFTA-winner Anthony Wonke, the film is produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, while Asif Kapadia is the executive producer.[446]
In December 2013, Ronaldo opened a museum, Museu CR7, in his hometown of Funchal, Madeira, to house trophies and memorabilia of his life and playing career.[447] At a ceremony held at the Belém Palace in January 2014, President of Portugal Aníbal Cavaco Silva raised Ronaldo to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry, "to distinguish an athlete of world renown who has been a symbol of Portugal globally, contributing to the international projection of the country and setting an example of tenacity for future generations".[448] A bronze statue of Ronaldo, designed by artist Ricardo Madeira Veloso, was unveiled in Funchal on 21 December 2014.[449][450]
In June 2010, during the build-up to the World Cup, Ronaldo became the fourth footballer – after Steven Gerrard, Pelé and David Beckham – to be represented as a waxwork at Madame Tussauds London.[451] Another waxwork of him was presented at the Madrid Wax Museum in December 2013.[452] In June 2015, astronomers led by David Sobral from Lisbon and Leiden discovered a galaxy which they named CR7 (Cosmos Redshift 7) in tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo in reference to his CR7 mantle (his initials and shirt number).[453][454]
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon