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Terry Venables: Cristiano Ronaldo is now the best of all

If Messi was full of magic, Ronaldo was full of power and grace

Terry Venables
Saturday 27 September 2014 18:35 BST
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Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo (Getty Images)

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I love watching Cristiano Ronaldo play football and I loved watching both of his hat-tricks last week – the three at Deportivo last Saturday and then four at home against Elche on Tuesday night.

They were not great opponents, so it was like shooting practice, but he is the best player in the world. I would love to have him back in the Premier League, if anyone is able to get him here.

For several years Ronaldo was neck-and-neck with Lionel Messi.

Messi was doing incredible things, a little lad picking a pocket or two, like he was running around the school playground. It was amazing watching those two, trying to beat each other.

One would get in front, then the other would score even more goals. It was just so entertaining for everyone who loves football.

If Messi was full of magic, Ronaldo was full of power and grace.

Those powerful headers, those free-kicks where he hit through the top of the ball and it would dip all over the place. His strength, running with the ball at pace, to find the corner of the net after running with it for 60 or 65 yards.

And I would say, now, that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best of all.

I know he turns 30 in February but he has got such great fitness and great desire.

His ambition to be the best is massive, to keep doing it and doing it until it is somehow taken away from him.

If he has got anything to do with it, that will not happen. He will be around for a long while yet.

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