"Surely they're great talents" - Ancelotti's comments on Cristiano Ronaldo and Vinicius Jr comparison resurface after Real Madrid star's hattrick
After Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the first leg of the 2023-24 Champions League semifinal on April 30, 2024, Carlo Ancelotti spoke on the comparison between Cristiano Ronaldo and Vinicius Jr. Ancelotti pointed out that both the Portuguese and the Brazilian were hugely talented.
While Ronaldo is arguably Real Madrid’s greatest ever player, Vinicius is also gradually etching his name into the history books of the club. The 24-year-old is on the verge of winning his first Ballon d’Or after a stellar 2023-24 season where he scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 games.
When Vinicius joined Los Blancos in 2018, he was widely touted as Ronaldo’s heir. Unfortunately, the superstars didn’t have the opportunity to share the locker room at the Santiago Bernabeu as Ronaldo left the Spanish capital two days before the Brazilian winger arrived.
Meanwhile, Ancelotti has had the opportunity to coach both players at Real Madrid. He coached the Portuguese during his first stint at the club from 2013-2015 and currently coaches the Brazilian after returning in 2021.
In the first leg of the 2023-24 UCL semifinal at the Allianz Arena, Vinicius scored a brace to earn his side a draw. After the match, Ancelotti was asked if he saw any similarities between Cristiano Ronaldo and Vinicius Jr. He responded (via Football Italia):
“They are different players. Cristiano made Real Madrid’s fortune in the past, Vini is doing it now. Surely they are great talents.”
A common trait Ronaldo and Vinicius share is their pace; both players can burn full-backs to a crisp with their speed. Cristiano Ronaldo scored 112 goals and provided 40 assists for Real Madrid under Carlo Ancelotti in 101 outings across competitions.
So far, Vinicius Jr has scored 77 goals and provided 59 assists for Los Blancos under the Italian in 160 appearances across competitions. He scored a stunning hattrick in Real Madrid's latest Champions League outing against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, October 22.
Cristiano Ronaldo expresses his love for Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his love for Real Madrid in a video posted on his YouTube channel last month. The Portugal captain spent a large chunk of his career at Los Blancos and won most of his achievements there, including four of his five Ballon d'Or awards.
Speaking with former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo said (via Madrid Universal):
“Real Madrid is the best club ever in history. I love Real Madrid. I was so happy to play there.’’
He added:
“I became the all-time scorer at the club, we won four Champions League, it was a pleasure."
On the pressure he felt when he joined the Spanish giants, the Portuguese said:
“I knew I would do good. I believe in myself. It was difficult with an adaptation but I was going to play for the best club in the world.”
Ronaldo currently plies his trade in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr. He has already contributed nine goals and three assists in 12 games across competitions this season.