“Ronaldo is was incredibly difficult to read” - Roman Weidenfeller explains what makes Cristiano Ronaldo ‘stands out’ above Lionel Messi 

Former goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller believes that Cristiano Ronaldo's 'relentless work ethic and confidence' make him better than Lionel Messi. He said that the Portuguese superstar is better than all the strikers he has faced and named him as his toughest opponent

Speaking to The Hindu, the former Borussia Dortmund star claimed that he has always found it hard to face Ronaldo. He added that the Al Nassr star stands out because of his dedication, and he continues to prove himself in Saudi Arabia, too. He said via GOAL:

"Cristiano Ronaldo was incredibly difficult to read because of his relentless work ethic and confidence. I played against him many times, at Real Madrid and later at Juventus. I also faced Robert Lewandowski, who was my team-mate at Dortmund before he moved to Bayern Munich. He continues to play exceptionally well, recently winning a title with Barcelona."

"I’ve played against many strong strikers, like Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, and others. But Ronaldo stands out. He’s always the first in the dressing room, working hard in the gym and on the pitch, and the last to leave. His dedication has kept him at the top for so long, and now he’s continuing his career in Saudi Arabia."

Cristiano Ronaldo has faced Roman Weidenfeller six times and won twice, while losing as many times. The goalkeeper has never faced Lionel Messi, per Transfermarkt.

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are totally different, claims Carlos Tevez

Carlos Tevez spoke about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to ESPN Argentina and stated that they were totally different. He claimed that the Portuguese superstar believed in spending time at the gym, while the Argentine is naturally talented. He said via One Football in 2018:

“Cristiano is totally different to Messi. When Leo was starting out, he didn’t touch a gym. But Cristiano was there in the morning, afternoon and evening, all the time. Cristiano had to work and prepare himself to be the best, while for Leo it comes naturally. Those are the greatest differences that I see between the two best players on the planet. Messi plays another sport. For Messi to score three goals [in any given game] is normal.”

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are in contract talks at Al Nassr and Inter Miami, respectively. The two superstars have stated that they are at the end of their careers and plan to retire at their current clubs.