Gianluigi Buffon compared Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to Pele and Diego Maradona following the Real Madrid star’s wonder goal against Juventus.
Ronaldo scored a stunning overhead kick in Real Madrid’s 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over Juventus in Turin, having earlier broken the deadlock with a precise close-range finish.
The Portugal forward’s second goal earned an ovation from the home fans at the Allianz Stadium and gave Madrid a crucial advantage in the tie, before Marcelo added a third after Paulo Dybala was sent off for the Italians.
“We saw what Ronaldo has always been: a player of an extraordinary level, who is achieving the highest things, along with Lionel Messi,” Buffon told Mediaset Premium.
“They should be compared in their value to Maradona and Pele for the way they ultimately are able to decide the matches and trophies their teams win.”
It is a sentiment that Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane shares, as he specifically made mention of Buffon’s comment to agree with it, speaking to reporters after the match.
“I was happy with the second goal, the gesture was spectacular,” Zidane said.
“Buffon is right: you have to take off your hat with these players you named. Messi and Ronaldo are as influential as Pelé and Maradona.”
