Dani Alves has named Cristiano Ronaldo the toughest opponent he’s ever faced, praising him in a new interview.
Alves and Ronaldo sparred for a number of years during the latter’s illustrious first stint at Barcelona, where he won six La Liga championships, three Champions League trophies, and countless other honours and awards.
Alves has established himself as one of the greatest full backs in football history, having shared the field with many of the game’s biggest stars and having to defend against some incredible players.
Now playing for Pumas UNAM in Mexico, the 39-year-old sat down with ESPN journalist Hugo Sanchez and named Ronaldo as the toughest opponent he had faced.
“This b*d doesn’t let you breathe for a second. I didn’t do too badly, but it’s difficult.
“He’s a scoring machine,” he added, paying tribute to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner who tore up La Liga for Real Madrid while Alves played with Lionel Messi for Barcelona.
Ronaldo is Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer, with 450 goals in all competitions before departing in 2018, after a near decade-long rivalry with Messi in the Spanish top flight.
His prolific goalscoring for club and country has established him as one of the game’s greatest players, and he will break the record for most men’s international goals scored in 2021.
