Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos has said that former Brazilian striker Ronaldo Nazario would have won as many as 15 Ballon d’Or awards if injuries had not disrupted his brilliant career.
Carlos made the remark while speaking on The Obi One Podcast, where he praised the two-time World Cup winner as the greatest footballer he has ever seen.
“For me, he [Ronaldo] has been the best. If he did not have his injuries, he would have had 15 Ballon d’Ors,” the former Brazil and Real Madrid left-back declared.
He added that his opinion is widely shared by football icons across the world.
“It is not just me saying this. If you ask Drogba, Maldini, Cannavaro or any coach in the world, they will say it. Mourinho has said it.”
Carlos insisted that even Benfica manager José Mourinho, who worked closely with Ronaldo during their time at Barcelona, has echoed the same sentiment.
“In my opinion, Ronaldo Nazario, in this era, is the best and will always be number one,” he said.
Ronaldo Nazario, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner (1997 and 2002), is widely regarded as one of football’s greatest ever strikers, with a career marked by extraordinary talent and unfortunate long-term injuries that cut short his prime years.
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