Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho recently listed his 3 best players of all time to include; Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele.
The list has generated criticisms due to the fact that Mourinho some years ago annointed his fellow countryman Christiano Ronaldo as the best to have adorned the game but his name disappeared in the list.
Read: Jose Mourinho Lists His Top 3 Players of All Time, Snubs Ronaldo
In 2012, then Barcelona Manager Tito Vilanova said that Messi was "the best (player) in the world by a long way".
Reacting to this Jose Mourinho (Then Real Madrid boss) showered praises on Christiano Ronaldo, describing him as the best ever.
See his interview below:
"When someone with the same responsibility as me comes out and says: 'Mine is the best on the planet' then I have to say: mine was not born in Madeira, he was born on Mars; he is not from planet Earth, he is the best in the universe.
"If Messi is the best on the planet, Ronaldo is the best in the universe. It would be a crime if Ronaldo did not win the Ballon d'Or."
"It is harder to be Cristiano than Messi. Messi grew up in the team where he plays, with the players with whom he plays. Not Cristiano. He was in England, then they put him here in a losing team. He had to grow over the last two years with this team which has been forming," Mourinho said.
"One (Messi) plays as a (number) 9 and roams around in those 50 square metres where the distance to goal is smaller and defence less intense."
"The other (Ronaldo) plays as a winger. How does a winger score as many goals as a number 9? Besides, Ronaldo is a player who is not protected by anyone."
The list has generated criticisms due to the fact that Mourinho some years ago annointed his fellow countryman Christiano Ronaldo as the best to have adorned the game but his name disappeared in the list.
Read: Jose Mourinho Lists His Top 3 Players of All Time, Snubs Ronaldo
In 2012, then Barcelona Manager Tito Vilanova said that Messi was "the best (player) in the world by a long way".
Reacting to this Jose Mourinho (Then Real Madrid boss) showered praises on Christiano Ronaldo, describing him as the best ever.
See his interview below:
"When someone with the same responsibility as me comes out and says: 'Mine is the best on the planet' then I have to say: mine was not born in Madeira, he was born on Mars; he is not from planet Earth, he is the best in the universe.
"If Messi is the best on the planet, Ronaldo is the best in the universe. It would be a crime if Ronaldo did not win the Ballon d'Or."
"It is harder to be Cristiano than Messi. Messi grew up in the team where he plays, with the players with whom he plays. Not Cristiano. He was in England, then they put him here in a losing team. He had to grow over the last two years with this team which has been forming," Mourinho said.
"One (Messi) plays as a (number) 9 and roams around in those 50 square metres where the distance to goal is smaller and defence less intense."
"The other (Ronaldo) plays as a winger. How does a winger score as many goals as a number 9? Besides, Ronaldo is a player who is not protected by anyone."
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