Khabib Nurmagomedov names his MMA football dream team
Retired UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov revealed that he is a die-hard football fan, showing off a vast knowledge of the sport whenever he gets the chance.
Since his fight in the UFC against Justin Gaethje last October, Khabib has been touring the world promoting MMA and occasionally playing some football with some stellar friends.
The Dagestani grappling master exercised his expertise once more in a video with UFC Russia, where he displayed his admiration for various football players from the past and present.
In the video, Khabib was asked to name his top-10 favorite players, but by judging them as if they had skills as mixed martial artists.
Khabib appointed names that would make any team easily run for the Champions League's title. Even though he said he would not nominate active players, he still gave his friends Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo some support.
The Eagle nominated Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario, also known as The Phenomenom, as the No. 1 pound-for-pound footballer.
Ronaldo endured some critical career-threatening injuries throughout his days as a player and still managed to be selected as the world's best footballer twice.
Clarence Seedorf, with whom Khabib played a friendly match earlier in 2021, was elected as the 'workhorse.' The Dutch international is the only player to have won the Champions League with three different clubs.
As for the best 'technical grappler' in football, a title that definitely belongs to himself in MMA, Khabib chose legendary French midfielder Zinedine Zidane for his technical abilities with the ball.
Since retiring from football in 2006, Zidane became one of the most successful club managers, winning three Champions League titles with his beloved Spanish side, Real Madrid.
Khabib could not resist nominating his personal friend Cristiano Ronaldo as the 'greatest of all time.' The Portuguese striker and the Russian fighter are constantly spotted having calls and interacting on social media.
Facing fierce competition with Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, and Pelé, Cristiano Ronaldo is unanimously sitting among the best footballers of all time.
After breaking almost all of the sport's possible records during his stint with Real Madrid, CR7 joined Italian giants Juventus, where he continued to enjoy a prolific goal-scoring career.
Khabib Nurmagomedov's complete list
The Most Vicious Knockout Artist: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The Cardio Machine: Pavel Nedved
The Workhorse: Clarence Seedorf
The Iron Chin: Mauro Camoranesi
The Technical Grappler: Zinedine Zidane
The Top Trash-Talker: Eric Cantona
The Most Powerful Wrestler: Roberto Carlos
The Greatest of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo