Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, two Brazilian soccer legends, shared one thing in common: they both identified Paolo Maldini, the great Italian defender, as their toughest opponent. This tribute paid to Maldini by these two former players is indicative of the difficulty they encountered against this exceptional defender.
During his career, Ronaldo played for the two Milanese clubs, AC Milan and Inter Milan. For his part, Ronaldinho joined the Rossoneri after leaving Barcelona, where he also had the opportunity to cross paths with Maldini.
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Ronaldinho reveals his admiration for Maldini, a formidable opponent
When Ronaldinho was asked about his toughest opponent, he didn’t hesitate to name Maldini, impressed with his diversity of skills. Ronaldinho says: “It’s Maldini. His talent is second to none. It’s impossible not to be amazed at how easily he plays, especially when you get the chance to play alongside him.”
For his part, Ronaldo also highlighted Maldini’s superiority while paying tribute to other Italian defenders such as Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta. Ronaldo says: “The toughest defender I’ve faced in my career? Paolo Maldini is definitely the toughest. Among the other Italian defenders I would mention Cannavaro, Nesta and Vierchowod, all very solid.”
Maldini, the legendary defender who marked the history of football
Maldini, who has dedicated his entire career to AC Milan, is considered one of the greatest defenders of all time. With 901 appearances for the Rossoneri and 126 caps for the Italian national team, he marked the history of football with his consistency and undeniable talent.
Ronaldo and Ronaldinho also left their mark on world football. They both shone in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where Brazil won the supreme title. Ronaldo was the figurehead of the final, scoring twice against Germany. For his part, Ronaldinho dazzled the world in the quarter-final against England, with a masterful assist for Rivaldo and a spectacular free kick against David Seaman.
Thus, the unanimity of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho as to the difficulty represented by Maldini testifies to the exceptionality of this Italian defender. The respect and admiration shown towards Maldini by these two legends of Brazilian football further cement his status as a standout player.
