'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 He dominated world football as a teenager
It would be totally erroneous to say Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t show enough brilliance in their teenage years. In fact, the superstar duo was always destined to rule world football. However, their collective impact was nothing compared to a teenage Ronaldo.
The Brazilians defined striking with his pace, trickery and eye for goal. At 17, he was selected in the Brazil squad for the 1994 World Cup. This was after he scored an astonishing 12 goals in 14 games in his debut season for Corinthians in the Brazilian top flight. Although he did not make a single appearance at the ’94 World Cup, it was clear that he was more than just potential.
Ronaldo was neither overawed by the challenge of playing in Europe and went on to feature for PSV, Barcelona and Inter Milan – all before he turned 21. In other words, as a teenager he had already dominated in the Dutch, Spanish and Italian leagues. Beat that Ronaldo and Messi!
