When asked if Ronaldo is stronger than the two prides, Vieira doesn't think it's a question. He simply says, "I've never seen a player like him. When he played for Barcelona, he was like a robot, capable of controlling everything. Even in training, when we lacked motivation, he could still control everything."
Vieira adds, "Baggio could do it when he was young (but not as he aged), let's see how Ronnie does it. He pretends to dribble past you, then stops and waits for you, dribbles one, two, three, and scores! In other words, he can do whatever he wants."
Vieira transferred to Inter Milan for a record-breaking fee of 30 million euros, and his first words to Ronaldo were, "I'm here because I want to play with you!"
Reflecting on the past, Vieira sighs, "Everyone has their own characteristics. Players like Roberto Baggio, Del Piero, and Totti no longer exist. It wasn't until today, 20 years later, that I truly realized the high level of Serie A at that time!"
Even in the highest level league at that time, Vieira still believes that Ronaldo in his prime was the ultimate form of the strongest player, and he has yet to see anyone as strong as him.
Vieira has many classic remarks praising Ronaldo. He once said that his teammate possesses all the techniques of a footballer, and he never felt inferior to others until he met Ronaldo.
"I am friends with Roni. He has everything a player could have. His explosiveness and speed are top-notch. I am lucky to be able to play with him. He is fast and strong, full of infinite abilities. At the same time, he is also a dancer, dancing with the ball on the court. His movements are both beautiful and practical, something not everyone can learn." Vieira is not known for complimenting others, being a top-level center forward himself. It's rare for such a talent to admire another player so much. Unexpectedly, he has so many complimentary words for Ronaldo.
Besides Vieira, many players regard Ronaldo as the strongest player. For example, Van Nistelrooy, known as the "King of the Small Penalty Area," says that Ronaldo's talent far surpasses that of his contemporaries, including himself. Van Nistelrooy calls his ceiling-level goals standard for Ronaldo, routine operations.
"Totti, the 'Prince of Rome,' believes that Ronaldo is the strongest player ever. His dream was to play with Ronaldo. He jokingly said they should have sold the whole team back then to buy Ronaldo. However, he knew it was just a dream, impossible in reality, so he never called Ronaldo to tell him his dream of playing with Roni.
In the 98 World Cup semi-final against the Netherlands, the then 22-year-old Ronaldo performed incredibly. Stam, one of the greatest central defenders in history, thinks the strongest player is Ronaldo. In that game, he and players like "Boar" Davis worked hard to defend but were still overwhelmed by Ronaldo.
Another Dutch legend, Seedorf, also believes that if he could only choose one player as the best, it would be Brazil's Ronaldo. Seedorf somewhat helplessly expresses that Ronaldo doesn't seem to be from the same species as us (he's too strong to be human).
"Henry, the 'King of Highbury,' states that the player he most wants to exchange jerseys with is Ronaldo.
"Eto'o, the 'African Cheetah,' expresses his respect and admiration for Ronaldo, saying that except for Ronaldo, he can compete with any player for second place.
What do people think about these players' statements? Do they exaggerate or are they just saying "polite words" to elevate their contemporaries?