'Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't know how to play football' — Ex-Real Madrid star slams Portugal star

Retired Real Madrid star turned pundit Antonio Cassano said that Cristiano Ronaldo did not know how to play football and was worse at the sport than the likes of Lewandowski and Benzema. 

Cassano was himself a forward. He played for Real Madrid from 2006 until the summer of 2008. He left just before Cristiano joined Los Blancos and went on to have a successful career with the Madrid-based club by becoming their record scorer, among other achievements. 

Ronaldo is not only a Real Madrid legend; the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is a football great and is generally considered one of the best footballers to have played the game. However, Cassano does not share those sentiments. 

The former Italy international acknowledged Ronaldo’s abilities, still he criticised Ronaldo’s qualities as a footballer. He referenced other top strikers in the games, players Ronaldo has comfortably outscored, as better footballers, citing their ability to play with their teammates. 

“Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't know how to play football,” Cassano said on the Viva El Futbol podcast, per ESPN. “He can score 3,000 goals; I don't give a s--t. Players who played good football: Higuain, Lewandowski, Benzema, Aguero, Ibra, Suarez... They play team football, but Cristiano, what's his objective? Goal, goal, goal, goal.”

“During the last three or four years in Madrid, CR7 was a centre-forward. He's always been a left winger. Want to put him with those other attackers? The ones I've mentioned have a common denominator... Higuain, Aguero, Lewandowski, Benzema, Ibrahimovic and Suarez knew how to play with their teammates; Cristiano no.”