Oliver Kahn has named Ronaldo Nazario as the greatest soccer player ever in a snub to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite many arguing that Inter Miami star Messi’s triumph in the 2022 World Cup has clinched his place as the sport’s finest, former Bayern Munich and German goalkeeping titan Kahn begs to differ. He recently reminisced about the challenges he faced from fearsome strikers during his career, singling out Brazil icon Ronaldo as the best he ever encountered.
Kahn said: “For me, Ronaldo was much better than Messi and Cristiano. I still consider him the most complete player of all time. The Brazilian was the best player I have ever seen.”
Kahn had a tough battle with the renowned ‘original Ronaldo’ during the 2002 World Cup final where the striker netted twice against Germany, leading them to their fifth title. Although Messi has since won a World Cup and Cristiano seized the European Championship in 2016, the 55-year-old remains adamant that the Brazilian outranks them both.
Ronaldo Nazario boasts an impressive career with 481 professional games, 309 goals, and 75 assists. His trophy haul includes two Ballon D’or wins, two La Liga titles and two Copa Americas, as well as his World Cup success.
However, unlike Messi who has four Champions League trophies and Cristiano who smashed the record for the most with five, the Brazilian never secured European glory.
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Despite Kahn hailing Ronaldo Nazario as the ultimate soccer legend, he still holds that the most frustrating opponent he ever faced off against wasn’t the Brazilian sensation. He found AC Milan’s ace Filippo Inzaghi to be a thorn in his side, noting the persistent challenges he faced from the superstar striker’s knack for finding the net against him.
Reflecting on these formidable opponents, Kahn acknowledged the sheer talent of Ronaldo but emphasized his frustration with Inzaghi. He said: “Ronaldo was the best, but Inzaghi irritated me more. He wasn’t a super champion, but he always scored against me. Always. How annoying.”
While Kahn retired in 2008 and Inzaghi followed suit four years later, Ronaldo’s illustrious career was cut short by injury in 2011. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still making their mark in the sport and continue to fuel debates about who reigns supreme in the world of soccer – a conversation that shows no signs of dying down anytime soon.
Source: https://www.themirror.com/sport/soccer/oliver-kahn-ronaldo-lionel-messi-871252
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