"I’m like Cristiano" - When ex-RedBull driver compared himself to Cristiano Ronaldo while saying Max Verstappen is Lionel Messi

Former RedBull driver Sergio Perez once compared himself to Cristiano Ronaldo, while saying his teammate Max Verstappen was like Lionel Messi. The Mexican departed the Formula1 team following a mutual termination of his agreement.

He joined the side in 2021 and presented this footballing analogy in his second year with RedBull. Speaking about this in an interview on the Hugo Sanchez Presenta program on Star+, Perez said (via Bola VIP):

“Messi is Verstappen. A very natural driver, very talented and he is the Messi of cars. I’m like Cristiano, talented too, but more worked and dedicated to get the best out of himself."

Both Messi and Ronaldo have achieved a lot in the sport, with the Argentine winning eight Ballon d'Or trophies, three more than his Portuguese rival. The Inter Miami attacker has won three UEFA Champions League trophies and 10 La Liga titles, among other honors.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo has won the Champions League on five occasions and the Premier League thrice. He's currently representing Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

As far as World Championships in Formula1 are concerned, Perez has failed to claim a single title. On the other hand, Verstappen, who is widely considered the best driver in modern day, has won four titles.

Barcelona sporting director Deco says he would choose Brazilian legend over Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in GOAT debate

Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi

Barcelona's sporting director, Deco, decided against picking between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when asked to choose between the two in a recent interview. Instead, he claimed former Blaugrana teammate Ronaldinho as the greatest ever.

The pair played together at Camp Nou on 132 occasions across competitions, bagging nine joint goal contributions. Speaking in an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Deco said (via Barca Universal):

"I played with the first Messi and the first Cristiano. If I have to choose, I’d choose Ronaldinho. Of those I played with, Ronaldinho was the best. He had technical ability, wow! He did different things."

However, he did reserve praise for both Messi and Ronaldo, saying:

“The most complete player I’ve played with is Messi. What impresses me most about Cristiano is that he always wants to learn. At the beginning, he didn’t commit fouls.”

Overall, Ronaldinho made 207 appearances across competitions for Barcelona, bagging 94 goals and 69 assists. He won two La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League trophy once, among other honors with the Catalan side.

About the author

Rahul has been a European football journalist for Sportskeeda since 2023. A B.B.A. L.L.B. graduate, he captained his university football team and also played for Boca Juniors Football School during his initial years, and also coached his university's girls team. He always aims to translate his tactical awareness, knowledge of the sport and first-hand experience into well-researched articles for his readers.

A follower of the beautiful game since 2014, Rahul is an avid Arsenal and a match-going Bengaluru FC fan. His favorite footballer is Mesut Ozil due to his love for nimble-footed playmakers, while his favorite manager is the legendary Arsene Wenger owing to the Frenchman's attractive style of football.

Rahul, whose favorite FIFA World Cup moment is Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in 2022, has interviewed grassroots expert Tom Byer in the past and gained insight into Japanese football. He also believes Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland can rule the footballing world and take Ronaldo and Messi's place.

When he is not writing, Rahul likes to spend his time playing football, following the Indian Super League and watching other sports. He is also a huge cricket fan and supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

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Edited by Rahul Naresh