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Cristiano Ronaldo's status as Mr Champions League is undeniable
In a recent poll, players from this year's UEFA Champions League edition showed overwhelming preference for Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo over Argentine legend Lionel Messi.
Current Champions League stars honour Cristiano Ronaldo
Players were asked who immediately came to mind when hearing the words "Champions League," and Cristiano Ronaldo was the overwhelming choice.
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Stars like Manchester City’s Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, and Kevin de Bruyne, as well as Liverpool’s trio of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all mentioned Cristiano Ronaldo in response to the question without skipping a heartbeat.
The same reaction was seen in other stars like Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori, and Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who did not hesitate to name Ronaldo as the player most synonymous with the prestigious tournament.
Ronaldo’s unmatched legacy in the Champions League
Cristiano Ronaldo's legacy in the Champions League is undeniable as the Portuguese superstar leads both the scoring and assist charts with an incredible 141 goals and 42 assists, making him the most prolific player in the competition’s history.
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Ronaldo has lifted the trophy five times, four with Real Madrid and once with Manchester United, cementing his status as the tournament’s GOAT.
While Lionel Messi is often included in general GOAT debates, it was Ronaldo who received unanimous recognition from his peers and with good reason.
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Despite Messi's own remarkable record in the competition, it’s clear that for many, Ronaldo's incredible Champions League dominance makes him the face of Europe’s biggest competition, and the Portuguese megastar’s status was also recently recognised by UEFA, who recently handed him a special award.
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