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Cristiano Ronaldo vs Ronaldo Nazario: Who is the best Ronaldo in football and why?
Sospeter Itolondo
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:17 PM
The Cristiano Ronaldo vs Ronaldo Nazario debate seems to be never-ending mainly because the two share a legendary name. Both have been fantastic players who have turned up for their teams at the club and country levels. So, who is better, Cristiano Ronaldo or Ronaldo Nazario? We explore all their stats and awards for both country and club levels.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has been blessed with a mostly injury-free career, having had longevity at the highest level. Ronaldo Nazario struggled with fitness towards the end of his career, prompting people to wonder what could have been of him if the player was injury-free. While some claim that Nazario was the better Ronaldo, Cristiano has shuttered multiple records while setting new ones. So, is Ronaldo better than Cristiano? Let's find out.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Ronaldo Nazario stats
Both Cristiano and Nazario have had careers most footballers would only dream of. They have achieved so much by scoring beautiful goals for their teams and won multiple titles. Here are some stats to compare the two legends of the game.
Cristiano Ronaldo
He started his career as a winger and became a lone striker as age caught up with him. He is known for the famous number 7 shirt. Here are some of his incredible stats:
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Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
La Liga | 292 | 311 | 96 |
Premier League | 236 | 103 | 39 |
Champions League | 183 | 140 | 48 |
Serie A | 98 | 81 | 17 |
Cope del Rey | 31 | 22 | 3 |
FA Cup | 27 | 13 | 8 |
Liga Portugal | 25 | 3 | 5 |
EFL Cup | 12 | 4 | 1 |
Italy Cup | 10 | 4 | 0 |
Club World Cup | 8 | 7 | 3 |
Supercopa | 7 | 4 | 0 |
Europa League | 6 | 2 | 2 |
Champions League Qualifiers | 4 | 1 | 1 |
Supercoppa Italiana | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Tace de Portugal | 3 | 2 | 0 |
UEFA Super Cup | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Community Shield | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Portugal | 191 | 117 | 41 |
UEFA Cup | 2 | 0 | 1 |
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Ronaldo Nazario
He played as a striker wearing the number 9 shirt. Here are some of his incredible stats when during his career:
Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
La Liga | 164 | 116 | 33 |
Serie A | 88 | 58 | 12 |
Eredivisie | 46 | 42 | 4 |
Champions League | 40 | 14 | 10 |
Serie A | 31 | 18 | 6 |
UEFA Cup | 23 | 15 | 3 |
Libertadores | 17 | 5 | 0 |
Copa del Rey | 15 | 10 | 3 |
Italy Cup | 8 | 3 | 0 |
Cup Winners' Cup | 7 | 5 | 1 |
KNVB Beker | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Supercopa | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Recopa Sudamericana | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Champions League Qualifiers | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Intercontinental Cup | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Play-Out Serie A | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Brazil | 99 | 62 | - |
In the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Ronaldo Nazario goals debate, Cristiano Ronaldo takes the day. He also has more assists and edges Nazario out. It should be noted, however, that Cristiano has played more games than Nazario due to his longevity and fewer career injuries.
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Is Cristiano Ronaldo better than Ronaldo Nazario?
So, who is better, Cristiano Ronaldo or the Brazilian Ronaldo? Cristiano Ronaldo is better than Ronaldo Nazario based on stats and accolades. He has more goals and assists as well as more trophies. Cristiano has won 32 trophies, while Nazario has 17 titles.
The only trophy Nazario has that Cristiano does not have is the FIFA World Cup, which he is eyeing in the November 2022 Qatar World Cup. Ronaldo Nazario is still considered one of the best number 9s in world football.
Who is better, R9 or Henry?
Thierry Henry had the better club career, but Ronaldo Nazario had the better international career. Ronaldo has 295 club goals, while Henry has 360, having played more games. Henry also had more assists having 177 assists, with Ronaldo having 75 assists. They have both won similar trophies.
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Did Cristiano Ronaldo play against Ronaldo Nazario?
The two legends shared the pitch on one occasion during a charity match organized by Luis Figo, a Portuguese legend and teammate to both parties. The game happened in front of 25000 fans in Algarve Stadium in Portugal. They have never met in any other competition.
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Lionel Messi is arguably the currently world's number one. He has started his second season at PSG, scoring goals while also helping with assists, not to forget his incredible form with the Argentine squad as they go into the Qatar World Cup 2022. He is one to watch out for in the tournament.
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Who is the king of football skills?
Neymar Junior is considered the king of skills in football. The Brazilian is known for his witty dribbles and flair tricks, even during competitive matches. He has the natural Brazil "samba" flair and is not afraid to face any opponent, and most often ends up embarrassing his opponents.
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On the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Ronaldo Nazario debate, Cristiano comes up on top regarding most of the statistics. Ronaldo Nazario was a beast in his time and did things most footballers can never do; no wonder most people rate him highly, even some rating him higher than Cristiano.
Cristiano, on the other hand, has beaten nearly all records in football, and as he says, "I don't follow records, records follow me."
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Sportsbrief.com also published a list of the 15 best coaches in the World Cup. The World Cup is a huge tournament attracting billions of viewers around the globe. Only the best players and coaches tend to make it to the tournament.
Coaching is one important part of the game; tactics need to be at play to counter your opponent and get the better of them. So, who are the best coaches at the World Cup? Click on the link above to find out!
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