Former players from Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus are among the top 11 players of all time, according to Ronaldo Nazario.
Most people generally agree on the top four or five players of all time, but there is still plenty of room for discussion about the other names on this list and their ranking in the all-time standings.
To determine the greatest players of all time and the following 11 names were listed by him.
Pele
“When asked who the number one player of all time is, Ronaldo replied, 'Pele, number one, for sure.'"
Given that Ronaldo grew up in Brazil in the 1980s, it's no surprise that he holds Pele in high regard. Although Ronaldo was too young to see Pele play in person, Pele's impact on the football world is still strongly felt today.
For many Brazilians, Pele will forever be the greatest of all time.
Lionel Messi
"He's otherworldly," Ronaldo said during an interview in 2020.
He's fantastic. I admire him more than any other player. Every action he takes is truly exceptional.
Ronaldo has frequently expressed his admiration for the Argentine player, and it's no surprise that he considers Messi to be one of the greatest players of all time.
Diego Maradona
While Ronaldo made it clear that Pele was his top choice, he stated that Messi and Maradona are inseparable in second place.
Given that Ronaldo was born in 1976, he would have witnessed Maradona's performances during his formative years, and it's no surprise that the Argentine genius left such a lasting impression on him.
Conversely, Maradona was always very complimentary of Ronaldo. In 2018, Maradona said: "If it weren't for the injuries, he would have been the best of all time."
Receiving praise from Maradona is quite an honor.
Zico
Regarded by many as one of the greatest Brazilian players of all time, Zico spent the majority of his career playing for his native country's team, Flamengo.
He had a brief stint in Europe with Udinese, but only stayed in Italy for two years before returning to Brazil.
The attacking midfielder also earned 71 caps for Brazil and scored 48 goals on the international level. Despite never winning the World Cup, he is still regarded as one of the greatest players in the country's history.
Romario
Ronaldo played a total of 19 games alongside Romario for Brazil and the duo scored a combined 12 goals during their partnership.
It's safe to say that during their playing days, they had a strong and competitive relationship, particularly when it came to the national team.
“By 1997, I was already a major player and had already won the Ballon d’Or,” Ronaldo mentioned during an interview with Bobo TV in 2022.
“During the training camp for the Copa America, Romario suddenly told me, 'Get ready, we're going out tonight, don't worry.'
He had prepared a ladder to climb over the hotel's perimeter fence and a taxi was waiting for us on the opposite side.
We returned at five am and I was worn out the next day during training. I realized Romario did it on purpose to exhaust me and take my place in the starting lineup.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Although R9 did not include CR7 in his top three players of all time, he still has a great deal of respect for the Portuguese forward.
“Cristiano has had an outstanding career, he has scored in every possible way and has successfully adapted to different positions,” R9 told ESPN.
He is undoubtedly one of the best in his field, but not the greatest of all time.
Marco van Basten
It is undeniable that the three-time Ballon d'Or winner is among the greatest players in history.
At the club level, the Dutch player scored an impressive 283 goals in just 379 appearances for Ajax and AC Milan, averaging a goal every 1.33 games.
Like Ronaldo, Van Basten had to end his career prematurely due to injuries.
Zinedine Zidane
During their time at Real Madrid, Ronaldo played 139 games alongside Zidane and the pair scored a combined 31 goals during that period.
Regarded by many as the greatest midfielder of all time, it's no surprise that the French player made it onto Ronaldo's exclusive list.
Luis Figo
Ronaldo shared a close bond with Figo during his playing days, as the two players were teammates at both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
In fact, throughout R9's career, only Iker Casillas and Roberto Carlos played as many games alongside him as Figo did.
The legendary Portuguese winger won 22 trophies during his career and is undoubtedly one of the top players of his generation.
Rivaldo
The 1999 Ballon d'Or winner was also considered by R9 to be one of the best players in the history of the sport.
They never played together in a club setting, but they did make 46 appearances together while representing their national team.
Ronaldinho
The last name Ronaldo mentioned when naming the best players of all time was Ronaldinho.
A fellow Ballon d'Or and World Cup winner, this list would be somewhat incomplete without this legendary attacking midfielder.
The duo made 39 joint appearances for Brazil and won the World Cup and Copa America titles together.